Not For Sale
by Escaped
Summary: When Mr. Borgin's American niece inherits Borgin and Burkes, Severus must protect her from Lucius Malfoy who is determined to get his hands on an item which will aid the Dark Lord. Please R&R.
1. Prologue

Chapter One

The morning dawned on Knockturn Alley as most mornings did; cold, dark, and choked with a heavy mist which seemed to cling to every surface. Too early for most of the shopkeepers to have left the warmth of their beds, there was an unsettling quiet that assailed the ears of a small figure at the base of the narrow entrance steps. "This is an ambush waiting to happen," she muttered , slipping silently into the shadows of the cramped street. A few more cautious steps led her to a storefront not too far down the dank stone walkway.

Borgin and Burks Temporarily Closed  announced a conspicuously pristine sign in an otherwise filthy window. "Cleaning staff on vacation, Uncle?" she inquired of the murky glass. A slight hand reached up to touch the window and drew away an oily black finger. 'I cannot be related to this pig', she thought with a scowl. Reaching into a pocket she produced a withered, ashen hand and inserted it's extended index finger into the lock. With a small exhale, she opened the door to her new home. 

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Malfoy manor was, as always, very beautiful and supremely uncomfortable. 'Why', thought Severus Snape, 'Do I not insist on his meeting me someplace less private?' He knew the answer, of course. It would drive a nail into his already prepared coffin were he to appear as though he had anything to fear from Lucius Malfoy. After all they were supposed to be on the same side. 

As if on cue, the Lord of the manor slid into the extravagantly elegant sitting room and greeted his associate with what would have been an apologetic smile were it not for the playfully raised brows over mirthful eyes. Severus was disgusted. Arrogant prick. "Oh, don't look at me like that. It's not as if I killed him."

"You _did_ kill him, Lucius. You who are so well trained cannot contain yourself long enough to extract vital information from our subject," Severus' voice reflected his great disapproval without being raised in the slightest. "Why must I always be there to stay your hand?"

"Don't take that tone with me, _Professor_. Merlin forbid I should drag you away from the all-important task of marking the final grades of those ridiculous children to attend to important business."

"Your son is included in that ridiculous group, Lucius, and he didn't fare very well at all this year."

"My little dragon is another matter, Severus, and I'll deal with the boy." Severus didn't want to know how. "Don't change the subject." He busied himself at an elaborate bar filling two crystal glasses with a deep red wine and handed one to Severus. "Let's drink a toast to the elimination of a stubborn adversary and a much easier task. After all, two pure-blood wizards can, I'm quite certain, find a scroll in an unoccupied building."

"The building is completely sealed, Lucius. How long did you expect that it would remain unguarded? The executor of Borgin's will has given the place over to his next of kin, an American niece who will undoubtedly allow the Ministry to buy the entire place and give the inventory to the Department of Mysteries. Between the proceeds of the shop and his savings in Gringott's which is also hers, the girl should have enough wealth to allow her to live comfortably for a long time to come.

"I had no idea Mr. Borgin was wealthy. The man lived like refuse."

"He was well-to-do refuse. Quite the miser if I'm not mistaken."

"I suppose the ministry will begin to strip the place tomorrow. We'll simply have to break in after the place is cleared out. It's hidden in there somewhere."

"Or, it's locked in a vault in Gringott's with Borgin's fortune in which case there's a much greater risk to…"

"Oh, stop it, Severus," Lucius interrupted. "I've broken into the bank vaults before. I can manage it again, particularly with your assistance." There was no question in his voice as to whether Severus would be assisting. He simply assumed, and rightly so. 

"And, if the girl gets the scroll first?"

Lucius didn't bother to answer. His derisive glare told Severus all he cared to know.


	2. Chapter One

Chapter One

From her robes, Alexandria Borgin produced a thick wand with a polished and slightly sharpened metal protrusion on the opposite end of the handle. "Lumos," she whispered and a soft light illuminated the store. 'You gotta be kidding,' she thought 'This place should be condemned.' She'd spent time in some of the sleaziest wizarding shops, legal and illegal, back home, but nothing compared to this place. Tentative steps led her around musty, chipped display cases filled with what she was forced to admit was the most interesting assortment of magical items she had ever seen. 'And that's saying something,' she thought. The blackened stone walls were filthy and crumbling in places. Enormous spider webs hung from the ceiling and there was a thick layer of grime and dust covering every surface. It was easy to tell that the only bit of cleaning ever done here was the occasional smudging of a hand across the glass of a display case to better view the items inside.

Fighting the urge to apparate right back to America, she began a cursory inspection of the shop. It wasn't all that large, but it would take a tremendous effort to make the place remotely inviting for her customers. 'First day of my new life and I'm already thinking like a respectable citizen.' She rolled her eyes at the thought. "This is the business that we have chosen," she quipped in her best Mafia kingpin voice. Her sudden outburst of laughter echoed eerily off of the dark stone walls and she was silenced by the shiver that ran down her spine. Clearly, this was a place that didn't like laughter. Well, she'd change that soon enough. Behind the counter, there was a small amount of room for storage and a long filing cabinet in great disrepair. Perched on top of this was a massive tome that had apparently served as an inventory log for time out of mind. A quick peek informed her that her uncle had been in the middle of an inventory count when he was interrupted. Or, maybe that was when he died. She didn't know many of the particulars of her uncle's death, only that he had been in rather poor health and his body was found in his shop without a mark on it, apparently dead from heart failure . 

Alexandria gave a small shrug. She found it difficult to grieve for a relative she'd never known. After all, his loss was her gain. But, for the work she was going to have to put into it, she felt that she would more than earn whatever profit came her way…honestly, for a change.

Flipping back through the ledger she saw something that gave her pause, another inventory count just a few weeks ago. "That's funny," she murmured. Judging from the state of the shop, she didn't see how her uncle could have been that meticulous about anything. No one took inventory every month. That was just ridiculous. A few minutes of searching revealed that he had done an inventory once a year every year right before the start of Summer, and that was all. She ran a petite, long-fingered hand through a thick mane of hair and gave a small "hmm." Obviously, he was checking for missing items. She pushed aside the desire to compare the ledger with sales receipts from the past year, a task that would have occupied several hours. There would be plenty of time later should she choose to do so. For now, she was tired and hungry, and she still had a lot of work to do if she wanted to rest comfortably in this place tonight.

Besides, people may have gotten away with it when her uncle was in charge, but no one stole from Alex Borgin.

At the back of the storage area, there was a rickety spiral staircase. Upon closer inspection, she saw that it was made from intricate wrought iron and was probably quite beautiful a long time ago. With careful steps, she ascended into an apartment above. It was a bit small, but there was enough room for one person to live quite comfortably. Just in front of the staircase there was a tiny kitchen which was devoid of a dining table. In fact, the only furniture in the room was an ancient bed with a dark, threadbare blanket, and a worn chair situated in front of an enormous fireplace.

Out of a low side pocket of her brown cargo pants, she drew a handful of miniscule green boxes and placed them on the floor. She had been itching to do this since she purchased this luggage at one of the nicer magical shops just yesterday. After performing a complex engorgement charm the tiny boxes began to grow, imperceptibly at first, then with increasing speed, to their normal size. They were lovely pieces, really. Huge, emerald green trunks with solid silver handles. Alex didn't know if she'd have the heart to shrink them and put them away again. She had used the last of her savings to pay for them and had never owned anything quite so nice. On top of the nearest trunk, she placed a rugged backpack that she had pulled from her shoulders. 

There. All finished. Now to unpack. 

Unfortunately, the mere thought of it left her exhausted. She needed breakfast and some coffee, and until she procured them, unpacking was simply out of the question.

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"Do you feel that he'll attack the girl?" asked Albus Dumbledore.

From a deep red armchair opposite the Headmaster's desk a deep sigh emerged. "It's Lucius Malfoy, Headmaster." Severus felt that this was a sufficient reminder. Lucius wouldn't give a moment's thought to killing anyone who stood in his way. It was a silly question, really.

Dumbledore's brows furrowed and it brought an uncharacteristic glint to his usually kind eyes. "He must not be permitted to harm that child."

"She's thirty-two."

"Pardon me?"

Severus Snape let out another sigh and pinched the bridge of his nose. Honestly, Albus seemed to feel that anyone under the age of sixty was an infant. "She's thirty-two years old. She's hardly a child."

"Be that as it may, Severus, she's a newcomer to our country and completely unaware of any danger to her. As we _are_ aware of the situation, it is our obligation to see it to it that the young woman comes to no harm."

"Well then," Severus abruptly got up from his seat. "I'm sure she'll enjoy your visit."

"Sit down, Severus."

Caught off guard by the order, and already on his way out, the potions master froze in mid-stride for only a moment , then brought his foot down softly and pivoted to face the Headmaster. Anyone else would have been verbally shredded on the spot, but he held his peace and, as an act of mild defiance, remained standing.

"I have two meetings with Ministry officials this afternoon, dinner with an acquaintance this evening, and business with Minerva tomorrow morning. Unless your social calendar is equally booked," he beamed at the increasingly alarmed expression on Severus Snape's face; clearly, he knew what was coming, "I must request that you make the girl's acquaintance and subtly inform her of her danger." 

"Headmaster, I must protest. If Lucius discovers that I've gone anywhere near the girl, he'll assume…"

"I'm sure you'll think of something, Severus. Tell him you're getting close to the girl to ascertain the location of the scroll. Tell him she approached you and you took full advantage, but do something. If she doesn't have the magical ability to properly ward the shop, then you will assist her. You will also make certain that she is personally protected from Malfoy as long as your position against him is not discovered. You are one of the most cunning wizards I know, Severus. I'm supremely confident that you can do this."

Severus' eyes were huge by this time. He could not believe the Headmaster would ask this of him. Going back to Voldemort he could manage, but this…he was no socialite. Most people could barely abide his presence. And, frankly, he felt the same about them. Not to mention, any family member of that miscreant, Borgin was bound to be distasteful in the extreme. However, when Dumbledore made up his mind, there was little one could do to deter him. With what little composure he had left, he excused himself to begin planning for this catastrophe.

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Thank you so much, Red Ribbon and Siverfey for taking the time to review my story. This is the first fanfic I've ever written and your response makes me feel much more confident about continuing the story.


	3. Chapter Two

Chapter Two

Severus Snape knew exactly what Dumbledore intended for him to do, but Albus had the tendency to trust people who were irrevocably untrustworthy. He was not so foolish as to assume that this was some helpless young damsel in distress . Life was no fairytale, and he was certainly no knight in shining armor. Therefore, he was forced to circumnavigate Albus' instructions for the time being and deal with the situation in his own fashion. So it was that, when Alexandria left the shop for breakfast, Severus Snape, wholly invisible and standing in an alcove across from Borgin's door, was waiting. 

His first reaction as she stepped into the alley was one of complete and utter shock. The last thing he had expected was that Borgin's niece would be anything but a miniature hag. On the contrary this woman was, he hated to admit, remarkably pretty. Not beautiful, but vibrant and youthful with thick, honey-colored hair and light brown eyes. His own black eyes narrowed a bit as he stepped out of the shadows.. She had reached the entrance to Diagon Alley. It was time to go.

Alexandria was thrilled to be out of that claustrophobic store and into the fresh air again. She had remembered seeing a myriad of shops on the road adjacent to this one and was certain she could find a café somewhere among them. There was a bit more of a crowd now than when she had first arrived and she was amazed to see that everyone in the street was wrapped in robes and swirling cloaks with pointed hats atop their heads. How quaint. Magic folk were wearing traditional clothing less and less back home. Really the only ones you ever saw in such attire anymore were quite old and in the tiniest communities. Salem, she recalled, had been that way. She tried to push away thoughts of Salem. She had almost gotten herself killed in Salem. But, that was a long time ago. This was a new start. She was going to do it right this time, damnit. 

Severus Snape followed a few yards behind the girl noticing the things her eyes passed over, the things which held her attention, and the very few things which turned her head. One of these was a grumpy-looking old witch who was giving the girl a very ugly look, obviously taking her appearance as a personal insult. She brought it on herself, though. Wearing such muggle clothing in Diagon Alley was almost unheard of. He forced himself to not dwell on how well she fit into those clothes. After all, this was business. 

Alexandria was silently berating herself for leaving her cloak at home. But, she wasn't accustomed to wearing it. She had only purchased it because she heard that English witches and wizards were a great deal more traditional than those in America. Frankly, she didn't know how they dealt with them. They were uncomfortable, hot, and difficult to move in, so she dismissed the idea of doubling back for hers. It would just have to be wasted investment. No matter. For the first time in her life, she had gold to spare. That thought brought a smile to her face and she returned the old bat's glare with one of her own, just for the fun of it. It was rewarding to see a look of shock replace the woman's sneer. When she refocused her attention on the street ahead she spotted a welcome sight, a window filled with the most beautiful collection of pastries she'd ever seen, all displayed in a pristine glass case. Without a moment's hesitation she made bee-line for the little shop. 

Severus had to rush a bit to catch up and enter the shop in the wake of his quarry. To his advantage, she lingered in the shop door for a moment allowing him the time he time he needed. Alex had to stop a moment to savor the heavenly aroma that enveloped her as she opened the glass door. It smelled of cinnamon and sugar and coffee and something unidentifiable, something very wholesome and homey. A cheerful voice greeted her from behind the counter. 

"Hello, my dear. What can I do for you?" These pleasantries came from a lovely middle-aged witch with rosy cheeks, bright green eyes, and a head full of curly golden hair flecked with silver. She was slightly plump and wore a rose-colored robe with a bright yellow apron. Alex had never encountered a woman who so utterly motherly, not that she would know what to do with a mother if she had one. Hers had died in childbirth, her birth, specifically, and her father…well, she preferred not to think about that. That was another life, on another continent. It didn't matter anymore.. 

"I'd like a cup of coffee, please."

"Very good, dear. Anything else?"

Alex hungrily surveyed the marvelous convections behind the glass. "How about two apple-cinnamon muffins, please?"

"Right you are, now," she almost sang her words while swiftly moving to collect the order. Somehow, she managed to do so while chatting amiably and looking over the counter to smile warmly at her customer and Alex couldn't help but respond in kind. It was just the sort of situation Severus had hoped for. He settled into a chair in a corner and listened.

"Is that an American accent I detect from you, dearie?" She smiled at Alex and the lines of laughter deepened around her eyes.

"Yes, it is."

"That's lovely! I've always wanted to visit America. What state are you from?"

Alex smiled at the innocent question, "Most of them."

"Oh, so you're a traveler. How exciting!" Alex had taken a seat directly in front of the counter and the older witch brought around her coffee and muffins on a silver tray with a shining white cup, saucer, and plate. "So, what brings you to England?"

"An inheritance, actually. My uncle passed away and…"

"Oh, I'm so sorry, my dear."

"Oh, it's OK. I didn't know him."

"I'm not sure that's any better. One always benefits from knowing one's family."

"Not to be rude, but I'm not so certain that I agree with you."

"Oh?"

"I've just come from my inheritance and I can tell by the state of it that my uncle was someone I wouldn't have appreciated."

A curious look stole over the woman's features. "Who was your uncle dear?"

"Mr. Borgin of Borgin and Burks."

The shopkeeper looked stunned. She covered and uncovered her mouth a few times before she was able to speak. "But, he was a dark mage, and said to be in league with He Who Must Not Be Named." Severus clenched his teeth at the mention of his "master's" title. "He sold some of the darkest wares in England. Surely you can't share the same blood as that awful man!"

"I'm afraid I do. I'm his niece, Alex Borgin."

The shopkeeper seemed to regain her composure quickly. "I'm Nina Pomphrey, dear."

Severus listened as they chatted about other unimportant matters. True to her nature, Nina Pomphrey (who was the older sister of the school nurse at Hogwarts) did everything she could to help Alex become settled, giving her names of people to contact in the ministry, telling her of all the best places to buy robes, food, cleaning potions, and even furniture for her new home, all the while subtly attempting to talk her out of actually running her uncle's shop. Her arguments would have swayed most young women; the shop was in a very dangerous part of the community, most of the objects were cursed or so dangerous that the majority of wizards and witches didn't even patronize the place. Snape couldn't help but notice that Alex's amber eyes widened and she smiled slightly when she was told that Mr. Borgin's suppliers were the roughest bunch of smugglers and thieves in England. Now that was an interesting reaction, and hardly one he'd expect from an innocent soul. Clearly there was much more to this girl than met the eye.

Soon the tray was cleaned up and Alex had paid her bill and accepted a long piece of parchment on which Nina had written more information than any newcomer could ever use (that would make Dumbledore happy). Before she could leave, though, Nina enfolded her in a motherly embrace which seemed to catch the girl quite off-guard. She was still trying to erase the look of shock from her face when Nina said, "You take care of yourself, Alex. And if you need anything, anything at all, you come and see me. Alright, dear?"

"OK, Miss Pomphrey."

"Call me, Nina, please."

"Alright, Nina. Thanks for everything."

Shortly thereafter, Nina slipped out of the store, list in hand, and a potions master on her heels. 

It was almost amusing to watch the girl shop. She was like a child with a fistful of galleons. Each stop she made caused her to smile to widen a bit. By the time she had purchased an entire wardrobe and enough furniture and décor for a mansion the size of Lucius Malfoy's estate, Severus was exhausted. Alex, however, showed no signs of slowing. She seemed to have an endless reserve of energy and had become a human whirlwind. She hit several of the shops on Diagon Alley, most of the stores in Hogsmeade and had dragged him around London as well. Even with considerable shrinking spells, she was carrying three huge shopping bags. It was early evening before Alex stopped to sit on a bench outside a muggle shoe shop where she had purchased a very handsome pair of black boots. Severus sat down on the bench across the street from her and rested his aching feet, thankful for the reprieve. With the exception of the maddening pace, the day had gone very smoothly. He hadn't learned much about his quarry except that she had limitless energy, good taste in furniture, tended to dress like a man, and would be damn near impossible to catch if traveling any faster than her usual pace. The most important piece of information he had collected so far had been that Alex had never known her uncle, so she hadn't been conspiring with him to hide the spell scroll that he and Lucius were trying to acquire. He would have to tell Lucius this as soon as possible. Hopefully it would keep him from whisking the woman away to Malfoy Manor and torturing her for information she probably didn't have. Of course, Malfoy would have to catch her first.

Alex had not been idle on the bench across from Severus, but then it seemed she was never idle. Placing her bags at her feet, she drew a small notebook and pen from her pocket and after a moment's thought began writing. Severus was just about to creep across the street and see if he could read over her shoulder, but before he could rise, Alex did something very odd. Very casually, and with a small smile on her face, she ripped the paper out of the book, put the corner in her mouth for a moment and used the wetness to stick the message to the backrest of her bench. Then, with a sweet smile on her face, she picked up her bags and walked toward The Leaky Cauldron, finally heading for home.

With great curiosity, Severus approached the bench formerly occupied by Alex Borgin and picked up the piece of paper which was hanging there. It elicited from him what only a few people had ever seen, a genuine smile. His shoulders shook with amusement as he pocketed the note that read, simply, _Had enough? ._


	4. Chapter Three

Chapter Three

"Headmaster, I tell you, the woman can take care of herself! There's no need to…"

"Severus, that's not good enough. You should have done exactly what I asked you to do and no less."

"What you asked me to do was completely ridiculous! There was no way to know if she could be trusted."

"Trusted with what? I asked you to gently nudge her in the direction of self-preservation, to insinuate that there might have been more to her uncle's death than she was being told. Have you no subtlety?"

Severus gestured toward Alex' note which was sitting on Dumbledore's desk. "Obviously not."

"Oh, Severus, you've pursued Lucius Malfoy for days at a time without his ever suspecting a thing. Your talent for subterfuge is rivaled only by your gift for potion-making."

"Precisely my point, Headmaster," Severus said wearily. "We're not dealing with a helpless witch. If she can lead me on a leash all day and never once give the slightest indication that she knows I'm there, she can deal with Malfoy."

"My dear professor, I do believe that's genuine fondness I hear you expressing." The older man smiled warmly while Severus' eyes narrowed dangerously. He wasn't even going to give him the satisfaction of a denial. 

"I'll keep my own council about that, Albus Dumbledore. I'm simply pointing out that…"

"That she's the only person to ever outmaneuver Potions Master Severus Snape?"

Severus, who had opened his mouth for a biting remark, froze as if petrified. It pained him to have to admit it, but Dumbledore was right. She had played him like a quidditch match and he was utterly captivated with her. Damn the woman! She was fascinating. And, though he despised himself for it, he greatly desired to see her again, wanted to see her hair catch and hold the sunlight, her lithe form maneuver gracefully through a crowd, her delicate lips curl into that warm smile that seemed to come so easily. 

Dumbledore allowed his colleague's stunned expression to speak for itself. He knew the volatile man well enough not to press the issue. "Severus, I'll need you to keep a close watch on her, preferably on a more personal level," he gave him a look over his spectacles that brooked no argument, "and talk to Lucius Malfoy as soon as possible. Tell him she has no information. Keep him away from her. I know she's clever, but I'd prefer to take no chances. The sooner you find that scroll and destroy it, the better I'll sleep."

Severus had argued this point before, but he thought that he should make one more attempt at persuading the Headmaster to his side. "Headmaster, I truly don't think that you've considered all the benefits of the potion on that scroll. One drop in Voldemort's drink, and we could…"

"Or one drop in Harry Potter's pumpkin juice or Hermione Granger's coffee, or _your_ afternoon tea. It's too easy, Severus. I know that it could be used for honorable purposes, but some books should be left on the shelf. That potion must never get into the hands of the enemy." 

Severus sighed irritably. The barely-contained wickedness within him had been positively itching to get it's hands on that scroll since Lucius Malfoy had told him about it weeks ago. A few experiments had given him to know that he couldn't make the potion himself without the guidance that scroll would provide. Malfoy's involvement was a wrinkle he figured he could iron out. He had expected Dumbledore to order him to obtain the scroll, he never imagined that he'd want to destroy it. He cursed under his breath. He should have never told him.

Albus leaned forward in chair just a bit. "I heard that, Severus. No amount of scowling and cursing me is going to change my mind. I'll expect a full report by tomorrow night. You don't have to marry the woman," the twinkle in his eyes had returned, "just get to know her. Then let me know how much you feel we can tell her. The more we can tell her, the more likely she is to let us search for that horrid scroll."

"There appears to be no _we_ involved here, Headmaster."

"Severus Snape?" 

"Yes?"

"I refuse to debate this with you any longer. There are lives at stake, Severus, lives I'm not willing to risk. I must insist that you stop whining and do your job."

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Nestled in front of a newly-cleaned , gleaming hearth, Alex Borgin began the arduous task of unpacking both her old and new possessions. She had stripped the bedroom of it's mediocre furnishings earlier and given the place a thorough scrubbing. Tomorrow, she would start on the shop. It was her plan to have it back open in a few days time. No one she had spoken with about this thought it was remotely possible, but then, none of them knew how hyperactive she could be when she had a goal on which to focus. 

As she unpacked her miniature furniture she began to ponder the events of this afternoon. She wasn't really certain when she was first aware of her pursuer, only that it was fairly early in the day. After she left Nina Pomphrey's, she noticed an intoxicating smell behind her, like a collection of exotic spices in a potion shop. It followed her all day, stronger when she was entering or exiting a store. Of course, she had also felt that tingling in the back of her neck that meant someone was observing her since she left her place early that morning, but she chalked it up to nerves. A few more details confirmed that she had a shadow. Familiar footprints when retracing her steps, a fumble of light footsteps when she had "changed her mind" and turned to reenter a shop. She had done both several times to see if she could cause him to make an incriminating mistake, but he was very good, and this was as intriguing as it was unnerving. As to how she knew it was a man, well, that was instinct.

Never one to just sit and think, Alex had busied herself around the room, enlarging and arranging furniture. By the window, there was now a large bed covered in burgundy and black satin, along with a couple of black bedside tables. In front of the hearth, there was a black loveseat and a deep burgundy chair for reading. A black iron desk and rolling chair sat against the far wall and in the kitchen, finally, there was a place to eat. It was just small café set, but something special nonetheless. Alex had found it in a shop on Diagon Alley. It's ornate, wrought iron legs could be seen under the round glass tabletop whose edge was rimmed in moons and stars etched in silver. 

'Now why', she thought,' would someone be following me?' There were, of course, a myriad of possibilities, most of them too impersonal to allow her any details. It could be a client of her uncle's needing to wrap up some unfinished business. Nina had mentioned that her uncle dealt with some of the best thieves in the business. That would explain the obvious capability of this person. Perhaps he was trying to size her up as a potential buyer. No. That didn't make much sense. There were much easier ways to do that. 

The possibility that bothered her the most was that someone was trying to get the measure of her, personally. It was not a pleasant prospect. However much she had enjoyed playing with her shadow, he had proven to be highly skilled and remarkably determined, two traits that should never be taken lightly.

Damn.

Absently, she began to prepare for bed. She had placed some ghastly wards on the door and the windows. She let down her hair which she had tied back to keep out of the cleaning potions. Anyone trying to break in would have to be a remarkably powerful wizard. A black silk shirt was pulled over her head. Not that anyone would try to break in. After all, the wizard in question hadn't proven to be violent. She slid into black silk pajama bottoms. Not that she'd given him a clear shot. There was really nothing to be worried about, she thought, as she climbed into bed and placed her wand under her pillow. Everything was going to be alright. She slid a dagger into the drawer of a bedside table and a handful of magical smoke pellets in the other. Still. One should always be prepared.

As she drifted off to sleep, minute details of the wizard who had pursued her turned over and over in her mind. When she awoke, she remembered dreaming of a tall man with long dark hair and pale skin running his hands over the carvings in her hearth while eyeing a potion bubbling in a small cauldron over the fire.

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Severus Snape awoke slowly from a dreamless sleep. He was feeling fairly relaxed until he remembered Alex Borgin. Albus expected him to report back tonight.

Damn.

The fact that he was being given no choice in this matter infuriated him. He was perfectly fine to watch over this woman from a distance. One didn't need to become socially involved. He mechanically showered and dressed as he fumed silently. This was completely unnecessary. One day, Dumbledore was going to push him too far. 'He thinks I can't see right through that fatherly smile,' he thought as he buttoned his finest white shirt. I can't believe he sees this as an opportunity to push me into a relationship. Just because I' m not repelled by the woman doesn't mean I want bed her. His hand slipped on the buttons of his black waistcoat as he had an involuntary vision of Alex writhing in pleasure beneath him, amber eyes squeezed tight in ecstasy. 

Taking a deep breath, he closed his eyes and pushed the image from his mind. This was business, and he was being ridiculous. Head cleared and a small vial of friendship potion in an easily-accessible pocket (just in case), he apparated to Diagon Alley. 

His plan was to catch her at breakfast where he could introduce himself in a pleasant environment, thereby appearing less threatening. Hopefully, he would be able to establish a minute rapport, something that he could report to Dumbledore to placate him, then he had to get to Malfoy … quickly. His steps led him rapidly to the front of Nina Pomphrey's bakery and he took a moment to glance in the window and make sure his quarry was present. To his pleasure, she was. To his great distress, she was already involved in an animated conversation … with Lucius Malfoy.

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Thank you, Red Ribbon and Silverfey for your reviews. They've been the only encouragement I've had to finish this story. Your kind words have meant a great deal to me.

Is anyone else out there? Please review. I'm really trying to improve my writing!


	5. Chapter Four

Chapter Four

Alex had sensed as soon as he walked in that the impossibly exquisite wizard in fine black robes was looking for her. He was far from obvious about it, menacing gray eyes taking in the whole place in one sweeping gaze, not pausing an instant when they fell across her. Of course, that was telling in and of itself. Every English wizard she had encountered had at least paused at the sight of her, and she stood out no less today than she had yesterday in her muggle clothing; even more so actually, as she was looking awfully scruffy in battered, faded jeans and an ancient sleeveless shirt that missed her waist by several inches. Even Nina had raised an eyebrow at her state of dress, and explaining that she had a massive amount of cleaning she needed to do today didn't seem to placate her. 

"Well, I know you're a bit along in years for this kind of advice, my dear, but that shirt fits rather too much like a second skin to be worn in public, and even if it didn't, there isn't quite enough of it. A young lady should be more careful."

If it hadn't come out of Nina's mouth, Alex would have pounced on an opportunity to rip into such old-fashioned values, but she had developed a fondness for the woman that persuaded her to hold her tongue. Instead, she leaned on the counter and began telling her about her massive shopping spree, and soon they were chattering and giggling like schoolgirls. That was when Lucius had entered. He seemed not so much to walk, but to glide up to Nina's counter, and he stood uncomfortably close as he ordered a cup of tea. Alex was acutely aware of his scent, a mixture of very expensive grooming potions and a hint of something else, something wicked and immediately enticing. When Nina turned with the tea tray, Alex caught her eye and mouthed one word. "_Wow_." Nina smiled knowingly.

"Mister Malfoy, have you met our newest resident?" she asked while she settled the tray into an unnecessarily large booth.

Only then did he seem to take any notice of her, turning to look down at her with a small but tantalizing smile, and she forgot all about analyzing him and why he had come looking for her or even that she sensed his ignoble intent. God, those eyes! They were menacing and calculating and feral all at once. She couldn't seem to release the breath she had taken when those eyes met hers. She knew she was staring, but she couldn't help herself. She heard Nina's voice as if it were coming from far away, "Mr. Lucius Malfoy, this is Miss Alexandria Borgin."

When he took her hand in his, she swore that something like electricity passed from his fingers into her body, and she could tell by the sudden heat that she was blushing like a virgin. Great. "Alexandria," he said her very carefully, as if reciting a charm. "That's a charming name."

"Well, then I wish it were mine," she managed to say. "I've never gone by my full name, just Alex." 

"Surely you won't mind if I indulge myself." His smile grew softer. "It's a shame to cut short something so lovely." 

He hadn't yet released her hand and she relished the feel of his soft, cool skin on hers. Alex was quite prepared to let him call her whatever he pleased and was about to inform him of this when Nina cleared her throat sternly beside them. "Mr. Malfoy is a prominent member of our Ministry of Magic and is also on the Board of Governors for Hogwarts where his _son_ attends school."

Emphasis on son. Ah. A family man. She silently thanked Nina for the warning, though she doubted that her extremely weak set of principles would stop her from doing something unethical where a man like this was concerned. Malfoy seemed to take no notice of the woman's subtle reprimand. "Would you care to join me, Alexandria?"

It sent chills down her spine when he said her name. Her instinct told her that, under no circumstances, should she spend any more time with this wizard. Alex decided quickly that her best bet would be to make some excuse about getting back to the shop and leave without breakfast, which is why she was appalled to find herself sitting across from him, steaming coffee in hand, answering his innumerable questions about her life. Oh, well. She had never claimed to hold up well in the face of temptation.

She assumed that his visit had something to do with Borgin and Burkes, but he quizzed her about her personal life for quite a while. By the time he actually mentioned it, she was feeling very amenable to telling him whatever he wanted to know.

"So, you're planning to reopen your uncle's shop."

"Yes, I am. It should be ready in a few days."

"That soon?"

"That soon."

"How long have you been in England?" Actually, Lucius, through his many connections, knew exactly how long she had been here but he wanted to keep her talking and keep her attention focused on him. 

"Two days."

"And have you found it much to your liking?"

Alex smiled. So far she'd done nothing but clean, shop, and play tag with an invisible wizard. "It's had it's moments. So far, this is the nicest one." _That's great, Alex, you sound like a lovesick idiot_. But, she couldn't help it. She was entranced by him.

If Lucius was amazed by anything about this woman, it was how easy she had been to charm into submission. He had immediately picked up on her infatuation with him which, he had to admit, created some interesting possibilities. There were definite perks to working with this woman rather than her uncle. She wasn't a rapturous beauty, but neither was she unfortunate-looking and torture wasn't his only method of persuasion. There were certainly more pleasant paths to take. He wondered briefly if he'd have to tie her down as she seemed to be in constant motion, either drumming her fingers or folding and unfolding her napkin or twirling her fingers in her hair. 

"I'm curious, Alexandria," he intoned in that deep, slow voice, "why didn't you just sell Borgin and Burkes? It seems to me that a life of ease would be awfully…" those amazing eyes scrutinized her upper body "…tempting." It was when he smirked and looked down at his hands which were folded on the table that she realized he was toying with her. 

Relieved to be free of that piercing gaze, she took a large gulp of her rapidly-cooling coffee. 'What I need is a glass of whiskey,' she thought. "It's more about the activity than the money, actually. A life a of luxury would be nice for a couple of days, I guess, but any longer than that and I'd die of boredom. Besides, I have quite an interest in unique magical objects."

"Do you?" he whispered. His head was still inclined and he seemed to be inspecting a flawless cuticle when a curtain of that magnificent hair fell over his left eye. Without thinking, she reached over to brush it out of his face, and the unexpected contact caused Lucius to look up suddenly in surprise. Time, for Alex, froze. A silken veil of palest blonde between her fingers, warm brown eyes locked onto cold gray with a look of pure desire as the bottom dropped out of her world. Lucius didn't move. The naked curiosity with which he was regarding her caused a blush to rise to her cheeks as she realized that this was not a man who was accustomed to being touched. Silently she cursed herself. What was she thinking? The offending hand shook for a moment, and she slowly withdrew it murmuring an apology, but the look on his handsome face had already melted into one of amusement. In what seemed to be a thoughtful gesture, he drew a single finger across his mouth and regarded Alex with a questioning gaze.

There had been a few moments in life that she liked to refer to as "screw it" moments when she had been cornered or hopelessly outnumbered and could do nothing but stop fighting and hope for an escape. With the exception of hoping for an escape, this was one of those of those moments. She suddenly realized that she had nothing to fear from Lucius Malfoy. He was, admittedly, the type of man who would ruthlessly remove any obstacle in his path, but she was far too enchanted by him to become one, thus ensuring her own safety. 

"What is it that you want from me, Mr. Malfoy?"

Ah. That's what he had been waiting for, utter submission. He leaned forward slightly and the infinitesimal adjustment in his proximity was enough to cause her hands to tremble. "I'm looking for something, Alexandria, an item that I was preparing to purchase from your uncle before his regretful demise, a scroll…"

"Excuse my intrusion, Lucius." Alex looked up in surprise at the sound of the soft, rich baritone. She hadn't even noticed the pale, dark-haired wizard slip up to the table, but somehow with the addition of his company, her head began to clear. Her limbs, which had ceased to have any feeling began to tingle slightly. It felt very much as if she was waking from a dream. And as the haze cleared from her mind, she noticed a familiar scent coming from the wizard at her side.

Her companion seemed taken aback, but responded with his usual grace. A small sigh told of great irritation, but he kept his voice serene as he responded. " Severus, I admit that I am astounded to see you out of your dungeon. To what do I owe the pleasure of your company?" Alex could plainly hear the danger in the amiable words so softly spoken. 

"A matter of some urgency has presented itself, Lucius."

"Then, I shall send for you this evening."

Severus raised a single eyebrow, a surprisingly elegant gesture for a man who looked so severe, and though the physical contrast between he and Lucius was almost polar, she could clearly see the same characteristics in those black eyes. "As much as I hate to draw you away from your present company," he glanced at her for only a moment, but with such contempt, she felt herself wither in her seat, "I'm afraid this cannot wait."

A glimpse in Alex's direction told Lucius that the spell he had woven around the woman had dissipated at his associate's untimely interruption, an offense which had damn well better be justified, but then Severus knew better than to disturb him with anything less than an emergency, therefore…

"I am truly sorry, my dear lady, but I'm afraid I must be going."

Alex, who was staring at Severus with a curious mix of wonder and offense, merely nodded her acquiescence. Now, that was interesting. What _had_ his old friend been up to with this woman?

"Have you been introduced to our school's potions master?" Something sparked in her eyes at these last words. 

"No. I haven't." She stood and extended her hand with such authority that it seemed like a challenge. 

"Severus, this is Alexandria Borgin, the new owner of Borgin and Burkes. Alexandria, Severus Snape, Potions Master at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry."

She took his hand in hers and held it firmly until he stopped looking over her shoulder and made eye contact. The anger in his fathomless eyes was evident, but it didn't seem to be entirely directed at her. Curious. 

Severus, for his part, was just glad to see the glazed expression wiped from the woman's face. One of Malfoy's most dangerous gifts was his ability to mesmerize almost anyone into a trance, even he was susceptible to it. Given any more time and Lucius would have had the woman completely at his mercy. He felt a sort of arrogant satisfaction at having pulled her from Malfoy's clutches, but knew it would be a short-lived victory. Lucius would be most displeased that his prey had been wrenched from his grasp for no good reason, and he had had no time to think of a feasible story before barging in.

"A pleasure, I'm certain, Miss Borgin, but we really must be going." At that, he turned his back to her, and gave a gesture of invitation to Malfoy. "After you, Lucius."

The wizard offered a slow, regal nod to Alex and headed for the door, briefly pausing to drop a few galleons on Nina's counter, enough to cover ten times what they had ordered. Meanwhile, with a deft gesture, Severus pulled a small bit of parchment from his robe and dropped it casually on the table before stalking out behind his companion.

Alex took the hint and waited until both wizards had apparated away before she picked up the note. In untidy, hurried scrawl was written, 'Don't trust him. I'll explain later.' 

It was difficult to not be offended. What kind of fool did he think she was? She had no reason to trust either one of them. 

Shaking her head, she headed for the door, deep in thought. "Alex?" She had completely forgotten about Nina. When she turned , she was met with a look of great concern. "I've said it once before, I know, but it bears repeating." She took her gently by the shoulders. "You be careful." Alex enfolded the woman with a sigh of relief. She had no proof, but there was no doubt in her mind that Nina, at least, could be trusted completely. 

"Thanks, Nina." 

"And if you need anything at all, you call on me straight away."

"I will. I'll see you tomorrow."

_____________________________________________________________________________________

Thank you, thank you, thank you all for the reviews. Your encouragement is exceedingly appreciated and your advice even more so. 

As for Alex being Mary Sue-ish, I assure you that was not my intention. I have no problem with Mary-Sues, personally, but I hoped for Alex to be something more than that. Maybe I just haven't given her enough room to develop. Did this last chapter help? If not, I'll work on it.


	6. Chapter Five

Chapter Five

"Talk."

Lucius hadn't given Severus an instant to recover but pounced on him the moment he apparated into the sitting room at Malfoy Manor. 

"There isn't a great deal to talk about, actually. I simply assumed that you would want to be informed of my discovery."

"And?" Malfoy raised his voice just a fraction, and Severus cringed.

He thought fast, but nothing was coming to mind. Malfoy had started using one-word sentences and dropping the pageantry of courtesy which meant he was furious. At least he could be fairly confident that his interference wouldn't mean his death, as Lucius would have a hard time explaining to the Dark Lord why his spy at Hogwarts was no more. However, the wizard had a plethora of ways to make one's life unbearable when he was displeased. 

"The woman doesn't know anything about the scroll. I didn't think…"

"No, Severus. Obviously, you didn't think."

Uh-oh.

Snape fought to keep his voice reasonable. "Lucius, did you really wish to waste your time?"

"My time is my own to spend as I choose," Lucius snapped.

"This project belongs to the both of us, which means, where Alex Borgin is concerned, your time is ours," Severus spat back. 

"Don't make assumptions, old friend. What's mine is always mine. I only included you for your skills with a cauldron." He took a swift step toward Severus. "And just how, may I ask, did you come by this fascinating bit of knowledge?"

Well, at least he had peaked his curiosity. "I followed her yesterday."

His head cocked to the side infinitesimally. "Oh?"

"Her conversation with Nina clearly indicated that she was not conspiring with her uncle. She'd never even met him."

"And you simply…trust her?"

"I don't trust anyone, Lucius, but she wasn't lying, that much was obvious."

"I wonder, Severus, if you observed her closely enough to slip into that conniving mind of hers. I did, and she's no more honest than her uncle was, perhaps even less so."

"Yes," He was sneering, now. He couldn't help it. "Well, if you could just set aside your own suspicions long enough to…"

"My skills at occlumency outmatch yours by a long sight."

Severus smirked. Yes, he was wonderful at occlumency, so much so that he couldn't ferret out a traitor under his own nose.

"You don't outmatch me at much, you witless, spoiled rotten aristocrat! For a man whose idea of problem-solving is throwing gold at greedy…"

"Don't you dare!" Cold eyes suddenly smoldering with rage, Malfoy's wand was drawn in an instant and Severus felt ice form in his stomach as a wave of panic washed over him. "I have half a mind to remove by force whatever the hell has gotten into you! I had that woman eating out of my hand. Her will was so entwined with mine that _if_ she didn't know the location of the scroll I could have torn her place apart to find it and she wouldn't have lifted a finger to stop me. Indeed, she would have begged me to ravage her before I left."

It was involuntary and exceptionally subtle, the clenching of his fists at this last statement, but Lucius caught it anyway. 

"What? What is the problem?" Slowly, he stalked toward the potions master, eyes narrowed in suspicion. "You knew that I had everything under control. What possessed you to…" He stopped suddenly as comprehension dawned in his eyes. His next words were soft, barely more than a whisper, but the sincerity of the threat was accentuated by that wicked wand pointing between his accomplice's eyes. "Severus Snape, I should kill you outright and beg our master's mercy." 

Having no desire to provoke the lethal wizard any further, Severus stood like a stone, eyes wide and questioning. 

"You are the last man I would expect to be ruled by his lust."

_What_? Severus was startled into brief silence. "You can't be serious," he whispered.

"I wish that I were not. I never thought I'd live to see the day when _you_ began thinking with the wrong head."

Severus clenched his teeth at the uncharacteristically foul remark. He was quite certain that Malfoy was trying to provoke him into drawing his wand as an excuse follow through with his threat, and while he was capable of defending himself, he had the disadvantage of playing on the enemy's pitch. Not to mention, his colleague was one of most vicious fighters he'd ever known even when he was only playing. 

Lucius was most certainly not playing, now. 

He took a deep, steadying breath and forced himself to think rationally. After all, Malfoy may have just unwittingly given him the excuse that he needed. As much as it injured his pride, playing the card he'd been handed could save his life. 

He took a step back and lowered his eyes to stare at Malfoy's boots, his characteristic sneer completely gone.

"So, it's true. You pathetic fool!" Lucius' wand began to glow a sickly green with the man's anger.

Severus spoke softly, his voice full of shame. "Forgive me, Lucius."

"Severus…you weak, wretched excuse for a wizard!" 

Snape braced himself for what he knew was coming.

_Crucio_! 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Several hours later, curled in a shivering ball on the stone floor, face streaked with sweat and tears, hair drenched in his own vomit, Severus had lost consciousness. Lucius, having finally worked through his fury, collapsed, panting, into a blood-red chair, his wand falling from nerveless fingers. It had been ages since he had felt such rage, and now that the adrenaline had played itself out his temples were pounding from the exertion. 

In the end, Severus had screamed until his voice had gone. That was when he had begun to cry, gasping for air between ragged sobs. But, he never once begged for him to stop. Perhaps that's what Lucius had been waiting for. He should have known better. Severus' long fingers were still clamped around his head in a pitiful attempt to shield himself against the vicious assault. Lucius had disarmed him ages ago as he recovered from the first curse. 

No one who saw him now would recognize the look in Malfoy's eyes as he gazed down at his old friend, for as twisted as their relationship could be at times, that was what Severus was. Now that he was overcome with exhaustion, the guilt that had begun to nag at him over an hour ago settled into his mind. Severus had made a huge mistake, and he needed to be punished, but Lucius knew that he had gone too far. His notorious temper had proven to be both his savior and his greatest adversary at different times in his life. Presently, he hurled curses at it and at himself.

Recovering his wand and kneeling beside Severus, he performed a cleansing spell and levitated the man's tortured form. Halfway to his chambers, he crossed the path of his son who had certainly heard the screams. Draco looked away with only mild surprise in his young eyes, but no words were exchanged between them for none were needed. He knew already what it meant to be a Malfoy. Only a few minutes later, Lucius had settled the potions master, naked, into his own bed and whispered a dreamless sleep charm to ward off the nightmares that inevitably followed the Cruciatus curse. He brushed the soft black hair from his ashen face and whispered words the man could never be allowed to hear. "I'm truly sorry." 

Within the hour, he had apparated to the corner of Diagon and Knockturn to remove the thorn from both their sides. 


	7. Chapter Six

Chapter Six

Alex had left the café and headed straight for home, working a quick and dirty ward on the door as she passed inside, just as a precaution. It was a testament to how strange her last two days had been that she warded the door at all before dark. Truth be told, she felt a bit ashamed of her paranoia, but this had proven to be the strangest place she'd ever lived, and it seemed wisest to be cautious until she figured out what the hell was going on. Strange wizards following her on a shopping spree, hypnotizing her, and quizzing her about a scroll she knew nothing about; this was no way to spend your first two days in a new home.

Nevertheless, none of these were sufficient reasons for putting off her work any longer, though the events of this morning had caused her to change her mind about cleaning being her greatest priority. That would have to be delayed so that she could search her on-hand merchandise (carefully, as some of those items could be nasty) for this scroll Lucius was looking for. He was obviously an extremely wealthy wizard and she stood to make a good bit of gold from him if she could find it. If worse came to worst, she could also use it as a bargaining chip. Unfortunately, there were no scrolls at all in her inventory.

Next, she reviewed the log book, scouring every page for mention of a scroll with instructions for a potion, but turned up nothing. She pushed aside her desire to go back to the café and talk to Nina about it. The men who were interested in this scroll were dangerous. She didn't like to involve Nina in such a touchy situation if she didn't absolutely have to, and going to the ministry was out of the question. It was her problem, and she'd find a way to deal with it. 

As there seemed to be no evidence of the item in question existing, Alex decided to put it out of her mind and begin the monumental task of cleaning the shop. After several hours of badly-performed cleansing spells, which only cleaned about half of the grime, organizing the files from the enormous filing cabinet, discarding outdated records, and just generally giving the place a thorough going-over, she brought down the bottle of cleaning potion and the scrubbing brush for some real work. 

Having never used a cleaning potion this potent before, she was having a bit of trouble getting the hang of it. She tried pouring a bit from the bottle directly onto the counter, but that approach proved to be too direct and the wood began to smolder a bit. The shopkeeper had warned her to guard her skin at all costs and had talked her into buying dragon-hide gloves to wear while she was cleaning. She had thought that to be completely ridiculous…until now. 

She now put on the gloves with great haste, and approached the bottle with a healthy respect and a new plan. Scowling at her lack of domestic ability, she poured a bit of the solution into a pewter bowl and tried delicately dipping the griffin-hair scrubbing brush into the solution. That seemed to work well. Now, she understood why she had paid a fortune for such a small bottle. A tiny bit worked wonders. With a smidgen of work, the counter was gleaming as if it were new. Once she repaired the chips in it and shined the glass, it would be lovely.

So engrossed was Alex in her work that she almost didn't register the slight crunching sound coming from the corner behind a display case. It sounded for all the world like a foot grinding on the dirty stone floor. Oh, no. Surely not. _'But I warded the door,' _she thought. Of course, she wasn't stupid. Her wards were good for guarding against petty thieves, but she had no weapon at all against the caliber of wizard she had dealt with today.Her ears caught the sound of whispering, an incantation by the sound of it, Like a mantra, her inner voice began chanting, '_Oh, shit. Oh, shit. Oh, shit_.' 

Clearing the terror from her mind which held her frozen against the counter, she wheeled around and crept forward, wand extended before her. The attack, however, came from the other side of the room. "Expelliarmus." The force of the spell knocked her to the ground and caused her wand to sail into the hand of her assailant who quickly pocketed it. The incantation had been spoken in almost conversational tones, yet she could still feel her skin stinging. The power evident in that sort of casting could mean only one thing, that she was in very deep shit. Struggling to stand, she looked up to watch her attacker approach, but she really didn't need to. The voice was a familiar one.

"Lucius Malfoy. I knew you were trouble."

"It's a pleasure to see you as well, Alexandria."

"Don't call me that, Lucius, and don't try to pretend this is a social call."

"That's a very callous attitude. This morning, you were so drunk with passion, you couldn't think straight," came the noble voice. If you're a good girl tonight, I'll consider giving you what you wanted so badly."

'_Oh, no. Oh, please no, not like that_.' "I don't want shit from you, Lucius…" feeling a bit more steady, she began to rise.

"Don't move," came the harsh command. "I rather like you on your knees, Alexandria," was added more gently.

Alex steadied her mind and forced herself to remain calm and speak slowly to keep him at ease. "Alright, Lucius. I'm completely unarmed and you're in control. Just tell me what you want and I'll give it to you."

" That easily? I was hoping for a struggle," came the mocking voice.

"There's nothing in this world that I value more than my life, and you're clearly in a position to take that from me. Please, just tell me what you want."

A smile graced the handsome face before her and then vanished so suddenly that she wasn't sure she saw it. For a brief moment, Malfoy regretted what he was going to have to do this woman. Her pragmatism would have proven very valuable to him in his day to day affairs, she have may have even been of some use to the Dark Lord, himself. But, he couldn't have Severus acting like a lovesick schoolboy. It was too dangerous. Better to snuff out Alex's life now and let Severus get over her before he became too deeply involved.

"I told you earlier, I'm looking for the potion scroll."

" Yes. I remembered your mentioning it. I searched my inventory and my uncle's archives. I'm afraid that it just doesn't exist, Mr. Malfoy. I'm very sorry. I can try to…"

_"Crucio!"_

Having never been the victim of an unforgivable curse, the shock that he had cast it in the first place kept the first waves of pain at bay, but it didn't last long and soon the shop was filled with the sound of her screams. In a few seconds, he lifted the spell. 

"Miss Borgin. I'm not accustomed to asking for anything twice. Tell me where the scroll is and we can stop this unpleasantness." 

Alex spat blood from her badly-bitten lip. The pain had erased any control she had left, and she began to panic. "You stupid son-of-a-bitch, you're not even listening to me! Please, I don't know where it…"

_"Crucio!"_

He let her writhe for quite a while before he released her this time. He would have made her endure for much longer for speaking to him in that manner, but his anger had been sated with Severus and he was still fairly tired from the effort. He just wanted to get the scroll, kill the girl and go home. Maybe Severus would still be there and Lucius could explain things to him. He sighed. Knowing Severus, he'd left as soon as he woke up. Who could blame him?

Lucius sat on his heels before her so that she could see within his eyes that he had no intention of giving her any mercy. "I placed a silencing charm on this room, Miss Borgin, so no one's going to hear your screams and come to your rescue, if that's what you're hoping. I can keep this up for as long as it takes, minutes, hours, even days. I need that scroll. Is it really worth this?" A single tear slid from her eye and hit the cold stone floor on which her head was resting. "Why don't you just tell me the truth?"

The truth was that he was the most beautiful monster she had ever seen. Even now, she couldn't help but want him, and she despised herself for it. Pitifully, she raised her head a fraction of an inch from the floor and said softly, but with great conviction, "Fuck you, Lucius."

He stood back up with a sigh. This time, he just let her suffer. Absently, he wondered how long she could last. Her uncle had died in under an hour. Of course, he was an old man and Lucius had been much angrier that day at Borgin's outright refusal to even sell the scroll. What prompted him to hold out when he'd always responded to gold was a mystery. But, Lucius was determined to acquire the instructions for that potion. One drop administered in any way, even externally, and one could create a link from wizard to wizard enabling the apparation of one to the side of the other, at any time, despite any sort of apparation inhibitors, even the ones around Hogwarts. And, when he delivered The Boy Who Lived to his Lord, his reward would be incalculable.

Something landed on his feet with a thump. It was Alex.

Lost in thought, he had let the curse go on too long and the woman had passed out from the pain. Damn. He forgot for a moment that he wasn't dealing with Severus. The man had an impossibly high tolerance to the curse. But everyone has a breaking point. He would find hers. The trick was keeping her conscious long enough. 

_"Ennervate!"_

After a few moments, when he was certain that she'd fully regained her senses, he spoke to her again. "I feel it's only fair to tell you that my patience with you has nearly reached it's end, Alex." He spoke these words carefully, quietly and with so little passion that it froze her blood. "Let me explain this carefully. I'm going to ask you once more, _only once_, and if your answer fails to please me, I will destroy you."

She was crying from frustration, now. Alex had never been in such a futile situation. She couldn't reason with the man because he wouldn't accept the truth, couldn't make a deal because she had nothing to bargain with, and couldn't make a stand because he had her wand, not that it would make much of a difference. With or without her wand, she was no match for Lucius Malfoy; she doubted that many were. She decided that she'd have to go with plan D. Stall.

Calling on what little acting ability she possessed, she spoke in her most reasonable, respectful tone, "Ok, Lucius. You win. I'm sorry I lied to you. I'll take you to the potion scroll, just…please, please don't do that again."

Lucius let out a sigh. He was greatly relieved that she was finally seeing reason. He really didn't wish to try to find the scroll on his own. "Just tell me where it is, Alexandria. You've been through so much strain, I'd hate for you to have to get up."

Hmmm. Give away her only bargaining chip? Not likely. She only hoped her ploy wouldn't cause him to feel the need to torture her again. She didn't think she could take much more of that without cracking.

"Believe me," she panted, "I'd love to stay here, but the lock to the scroll's container is cursed. Only a Borgin can open it."

Lucius considered this for a moment. He wasn't too happy with having her walking about. It was risky. But, she was unarmed and drained from the curse and her utter terror of him should keep her in check. "Alright, Alex. That's a good girl. Now, get up…very slowly." She did as she was asked and noticed that her legs shook from the strain of standing. That wasn't very good for running, if she got the chance. She flexed the muscles a few times in an effort to loosen them. "Before you take one step, tell me where we are going."

Where? Where? The only place she had another weapon was in her bedside table. There wasn't much of a chance, but if she could just get to it…

"It's upstairs."

"Fine. Now, turn around and walk. Slowly."

She did as she was told and her heart nearly leaped for joy at the sight that met her eyes. She'd forgotten all about that bowl of damnably caustic cleaning solution that was still sitting on the counter. If she could just get her hands on it…"

"Today, Miss Borgin."

Once again, she spoke to him quietly and with great respect. "I'm very sorry, but my legs are shaky and I can hardly walk. I'm trying."

Alex began walking in slow, halting steps, partly because her legs were weak, and partly to scrape together even a smidgen of a plan. She estimated five more steps to the counter. Four. Three. Her heart was pounding so loudly in her ears that she couldn't hear their footfalls in the otherwise silent room. The chance was about to pass her up, and she had no illusions about the likelihood of her getting out of this alive. This had to work. 

Two steps, now. Suddenly she stumbled, grabbed the counter for support with one hand and the pewter bowl with the other in what she hoped seemed like a natural gesture. He closed the distance in a heartbeat. It was now or never. Grabbing the bowl in both hands, she spun on her heel and flung the acidic mixture in her tormentor's face. There was a loud curse, a satisfying hiss, the clatter of a wand to the floor, and she was running for the door. 

She didn't make it two steps before a cold hand latched onto her arm with an iron grip and she was thrown to the floor. "Shit! Shit! NO!" Malfoy's perfect face was blistering from the potion and his eyes were shut tight against it, but the blade he had slid from his belt was still deadly in his capable hands. Alex had never felt such desperation! She was so close to freedom! The door was just a few feet away!

Unaware of the feral scream coming from her lungs punctuated by long streams of profanity, she latched onto the arm holding the blade with both hands, momentarily halting it's progress, and began kicking out at her assailant with all her might. She was slightly more than half his size, but he was tired and injured. Throwing all her weight against the arm , slowly she felt it begin to shake, then to give way. A knee to the groin convinced him to let go of her, another and he was on his back and she was crawling rapidly toward the door, trying to regain her feet. She felt the blade cut into her thigh, but was too high on adrenaline to even feel the pain. With a final kick to his scalded face, she was up and running for the door. As she slammed it behind her, she heard a sharp crack announcing that Malfoy had disapparated, and she knew she could stop running. 

Unfortunately, now that her heart was no longer hammering in her chest and her adrenaline had begun to dissipate, she began to keenly feel her injuries. Limping up the stone steps and avoiding the eyes of the few wizards and witches left on Knockturn Alley, she tried to assess the damage. It was bad, but not irreparable. Her face had received a few drops of the potion she had used on Lucius, her left side was throbbing with pain, she was covered with bruises, and still suffering the aftershocks of being magically tortured. It was a wrench admitting it, but she needed medical attention, and Nina's sister was a school nurse. Alex limped onto Diagon Alley hoping that she would help.

She arrived at Nina's a few minutes later just after she locked up. By the time the door was reopened and Alex brought inside, she could hardly stand. The pain that she hadn't even felt from the knife wound had shown up now with a vengeance and was almost unbearable. It felt as if the blade had been coated with acid, but the wound didn't seem to be that bad at all. It was hardly even bleeding.

Thankfully, Nina was prudent enough to save the questions for later. She supported Alex through a locked door into a room in the back of the store where resided a large, full-sized mirror on the wall. At least, Alex thought it was a mirror. As they neared it, she realized that it didn't reflect this room, but seemed to be a window looking into another, a sick ward, by it's appearance. Before she could speculate further, Nina had tightened her arm around her waist and walked straight through the glass to the room on the other side.

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Thank you all for your reviews. I truly appreciate the advice I've been given and, as always, the kind words.

If I may address one review specifically:

--- **Arsenoe3**- I think perhaps you're being a bit unfair and allowing your personal problems with the behavior of others to influence what you write about my character. She does not have a "screw all these local customs attitude." If you read about her without this chip on your shoulder, you'll see that see finds the local customs to be quaint (in fact, I specifically said so) and is very kind to the natives who are kind to her. Please don't allow your preconceived notions about how others behave in a foreign country to translate into contempt for my character. It's unkind and unappreciated. Thank you.


	8. Chapter Seven

Just a note: I'm not jazzed about this chapter. I wrote it while suffering from a wicked flu; somehow, I swear this poison reeks of flu symptoms J . I know it's long and a bit tedious, but it's necessary to the plot.

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Chapter Seven

"Poppy?" Nina called into the empty room. 

"Poppy?" Nina led Alex, who grew weaker by the minute, to the nearest bed and eased her onto the soft mattress. Nothing had ever felt so delicious. She just needed to sleep for about a year and she'd be fine. 

"Alex, I'm going to have to go and find her. Just stay here and rest." She put a warm hand to the other's cold face. "You're safe now, my girl."

Alex nodded at Nina's blurry form, and began to cry softly again. 

"Nina! What a lovely." Alex couldn't see the other witch. She was a million miles away, but she heard her inhale sharply. "What happened?"

"I don't know, Poppy."

"What's her name?"

"Alexandria."

Alex shivered with cold and with the sound of that name, the one _he_ had used. "Alex," she mumbled through the fog in her head.

"Well, Alex, open your eyes."

She reluctantly did as she was bidden and was greeted with the sight of a slightly out-of-focus, slimmer version of Nina. It put her immediately at ease and she smiled slightly. She let out a weary, "Hi."

"Alex, I need you to tell me what happened." But, Alex was drifting away on billowy clouds, through the sky, above the sky, into the stars. "Alex, wake up. Open your eyes." She murmured a slight protest. She had never felt so sleepy. There was a slight sting on her cheek as the medi-witch tapped her face. "Alex?" 

Alex felt herself coming back to earth, back to this room where her face burned and her side was throbbing and her entire leg felt as though it was encased in a slowly-spreading sheet of ice. "I'm cold, Nina." There were hurried footsteps on the stone floor. Someone was hastening toward them. She vaguely wondered what the hurry was. 

"Who is it, Poppy?" The voice was deep and strong .

"It's Alexandria Borgin, Albus," Nina answered for her sister.

"Poppy?" He sounded a bit alarmed, now.

"She's been poisoned, Headmaster, I'm sure of it. I was about to fetch Severus, this is his area of expertise."

Alex knew that name, the potions master. He had warned her. "Sev." she mumbled. 

"I will collect him." The footsteps were ringing again, fading.like Alex. 

Nina kept Alex awake, talking to her, telling jokes and stories while her sister removed her bloodied clothing, inspected her patient, and applied a sweet-smelling unguent to the stinging areas of her face. They immediately cooled. The cracked rib she also mended and was about to move to the cut on her thigh. A small cut. On her leg. Groggily, she giggled. Was her leg even still there? She'd sit up to look if she weren't made of lead at the moment.

It didn't take much time for the aged wizard to return with Severus in tow. She wanted to tell him what happened, but the words seemed to fall from her mind. 

"Sev.Lucius."

"Did you consume anything he gave you?" He spoke quietly and quickly, not with any of the sultry contempt he had been filled with this morning. Alex giggled again. It seemed like years ago. She shook her head and stifled a yawn. 

"Stay awake," he snapped. "Poppy, how is she injured?"

"Not badly. A cracked rib which I mended, a few minor burns on her face and neck, and a small cut."

"Where is she cut?"

"On her leg, but it's very minor, Severus. I was about to mend it."

"Show me."

"I don't think that's very prop."

"Don't be stupid. I need to see it." His tone disallowed any argument and Poppy arranged the sheet as discreetly as possible to reveal the wound. It was barely a scratch, now. He ran a slender hand over the area, but pulled it away with a hiss.

"What is it?"

"It's freezing."

"It was bleeding when I first examined it How has it..?" Poppy began.

"The poison, if administered with a blade, is designed to close the wound quickly to avoid detection."

Poppy never ceased to be amazed at the potion master's knowledge, but this was uncanny. "You know it, then?"

Severus shared a knowing glance with Dumbledore who was seemed to be quietly seething. "Yes. Get her to my office. I'll need to be close to my supplies."

In no time at all, Alex found herself floating downstairs on a stretcher, guided by Poppy, flanked by Dumbledore and Nina, and lead by Severus Snape. As soon as they moved her, the world began to spin and her stomach to churn. She closed her eyes to shut out the sight and was forced to fight the veil of sleep that was closing on her.

Severus was cursing himself soundly. He'd never hear the end of this. If he'd done what Dumbledore had asked of him and aided Alex in warding the store, Malfoy would have never found his way in. He could only imagine what she had endured at his hands. He had only just returned home from Malfoy manor, and was as exhausted as he'd ever been. But he had made this mess, he'd have to deal with it. Arriving in his office, they settled Alex onto a soft black sofa, not unlike her own. "Keep her still,"

he said before sweeping into his storage cupboard.

The heat from the small fire in front of her felt like a touch of paradise to Alex. She was shivering uncontrollably now. Poppy left the room and reappeared with a black velvet blanket which enveloped her in comfort when tucked around her frozen form. Staring into the indistinct flames, listening to Nina and Poppy chatter, she began to drift into daydreams. Severus, wrapped in black velvet, standing in a field of a pristine snow, like a beautiful sin, the downy flakes whispering among themselves as they fell around him. If she concentrated, she could just make out what they were saying, something about virtue and vice and too much of either.

"Alex."

"Severus," She spoke his name in a whisper, almost like a lover. It was the first time he had heard her address him directly and he refused to even acknowledge the quickening of his pulse at the sound. There was work to be done. No one had said it, but everyone knew she was dying, He happened to know that if the blade had better than grazed her, she would have been dead before she'd reached Diagon Alley. But, the poison was still potent in tiny doses and even now her lips were turning blue, her face a sickly white. "I need to reopen the wound to draw out the poison. Do you understand?"

"No."

"That's a shame. Hold her," he said, drawing up the blankets to reveal Alex's thigh. He also did not acknowledge her satin-smooth skin or the well-defined muscle there as he brought to bear a small, but wickedly sharp knife. Nina reached over the sofa, found her hand under the blanket, and held it tightly. Poppy braced the injured leg with both hands as Severus slowly sliced a deep gash into the light pink line that indicated where Lucius had cut her. The pain was excruciating, as if the wound itself were protesting!

She was fully awake in an instant as was evidenced by the vicious verbal assault she unleashed on the potions master. "What the fuck?! Are you out of your mind?" 

"Hold her tightly," he intoned, as he calmly continued with his work, applying a foul-smelling poultice to her thigh and magically adhering it. 

"What the hell are you doing? That burns!" She began to thrash pathetically, but was far too weak to break free from the two sisters. "Nina! Let go of me!"

"Alex, calm yourself. I told you that I had to reopen the wound. You weren't listening to me."

That was true. He had said that, but her mind was full of a fog that would not lift. Panting from the exertion of her mini tirade, she fell back onto the cushions. "It stings, Sev."

"Anything else?"

Alex concentrated on the injured leg. "It _is_ warmer."

"Good. The poultice I applied should draw the poison from the new wound. I'll need to apply a new one in a few hours."

Alex took all of this and turned it around very slowly in her exhausted mind. "Sev?"

"Yes?"

"Can I sleep, now?"

"You should."

She was dreaming before he rose from his knees.

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Siverfey- As always, bless you, you dear soul.

J.S. Sumner- I had determined to stop writing this story until you chimed in. Some troll flamed the last chapter I put up and it really discouraged me. Your review was much appreciated for it's own sake and because it came right after that incident. Don't worry. I'll explain about Severus and Lucius later.

Amberdulen- You've become the literary version of my conscience, reprimanding me for the negative, but reinforcing the positive. At first, I was a bit worried about you, thinking that you sought to dishearten, but you have been good for my writing. You've kept me from letting my imagination run Helter Skelter. I appreciate the time you've taken to help me become a better writer. By the way, don't worry about our beloved Lucius. I have a plan.

CE- Thank you. You're very kind.

Carpathia- I forgot to thank you for your review of chapter four. I do appreciate it. It helped to keep me writing.


	9. Chapter Eight

Chapter Eight

Severus felt that he had barely closed his eyes when he was awakened by the tinkling chime in the air. It was time to check on Miss Borgin. He hadn't bothered to change out of his clothes, knowing he would be up and down all night. It was possible that the dressing would have be changed several times before he was sure the poison had completely left her system. If it weren't completely cleansed, if the tiniest drop were left in her veins, it would inexorably eat away at her until she died.

Madame Pomphrey had given him a searching look when she asked him if he knew of the poison. It would seem that his knowledge was at once a blessing and a curse. It implicated him as the designer (something Albus would have to smooth over), but had he not been here, Poppy would have treated the woman with any number of poison remedies, any of which would have reacted to speed the progress of the poison instead of impeding it. He had devised it to do just that in his early days as a Death Eater when creating imperceptible and quick-acting poisons had made up the bulk of his duties to the Dark Lord. Malfoy's estate was now the hiding place for most of those fiendish toxins. He scowled deeply. It seemed he was responsible for Alex's troubles in more than one way.

He padded softly to the sofa where she lay and looked down at her pale form. When he first saw her in the hospital wing, he had been astonished at how her golden skin which had positively gleamed in the sunlight had become a sickly, pasty white. As he had slept, she had regained a bit of her color, but still wore dark circles under her eyes from the stress she'd endured. Dreaming of unhappy things, she moaned and shuddered in her sleep. 

"Alex. Wake up."

She sighed deeply and after a moment mumbled into her pillow, "Go away."

"I'd like nothing better than to return to bed, but it's time to redress that wound."

Her eyes opened slowly and he watched with rapt fascination as those amber orbs regarded him with simple trust, a trust he had not earned. He had never been close enough before to notice the tiny flecks of green within the warm, inviting gold; such intriguing eyes. Still, something seemed out of place. The somber expression on her face didn't seem to suit her. 

"How are you feeling?"

"Better. I feel like I've been run over by the Knight Bus, but I can feel my leg again." She let out a tiny chuckle before adding, "Of course, it stings like hell, but at least I know it's there." 

How she was able to maintain her sense of humor after the night she'd had was a mystery to him, but with that small smile back in place, she seemed more like herself.

"It's supposed to sting."

"Oh, joy. And, how long do I get to endure this delightful medicine of yours?" 

"That is what I have come to ascertain."

As he pulled the bandage from her leg, he was greatly satisfied to see that the brilliant yellow potion on the bandage had turned a vile shade of blackish green. The poison was leaving her body more rapidly than he had hoped, but he'd need to know how much was left in her veins. As he pulled his wand from his robes, he saw her eyes widen in terror for an instant, but when they found his own, they grew instantly calm.

"What's that for?"

"I need to know how much poison in still inside you--to find out how much longer you'll need to '_endure my delightful medicine._'"

She laughed outright at the blatant sarcasm with which he quoted her, and Severus felt a swell of satisfaction. She was well on her way to a full recovery. The spell revealed that there was still a miniscule amount of poison remaining, but one more poultice should eliminate all traces of his foul concoction.

Alex watched his skilled hands as they went about their work; pouring a cleansing solution onto a clean bandage and pressing it to her leg. Despite the pain, it was delightfully erotic; his long, clever fingers touching her skin as he held the cloth in place, then rubbing gently to clean the wound. His skin was remarkably warm and his slender hands worked methodically as he spoke to her.

"Albus spoke with me after you fell asleep. He would like for you to accompany him to the Ministry in the morning and inform them of what happened."

"Who's Albus?"

"You met him a few hours ago, the older wizard."

"Oh, yeah. He's the one who ran to get you when I arrived."

"Yes. He's the Headmaster of this school."

"Well, I appreciate the rescue, Severus, but I'm not going to the authorities."

His head tilted slowly to the side as he gazed at her with great curiosity. "Why not?"

"Two reasons: Most importantly, Lucius did try to kill me, but it's a business matter. If I make it personal by going to the ministry, I'm pretty sure he'll _really_ get nasty."

"Can he get any nastier than trying to kill you?"

"Yes," she answered flatly. "I get the impression that he can. However, if I find this scroll that he wants and hand it over to him without turning the matter over to your Ministry, I'm fairly certain he'll leave me alone."

"But if the Ministry were to make a full inquiry, he'd be sent to prison. He couldn't hurt you."

"No, Severus. That's the second reason, actually. I assure you he has an alibi, an alternate wand, and an excess of gold and influence to fill any holes in his story. Guys like Malfoy don't get sent to prison unless they're caught red-handed with a dozen witnesses. Even then, they tend to weasel their way out of doing time. I have a slim chance of getting out of this alive, and it lies in finding that item and getting it to him as soon as possible. If that doesn't work, I can sell the shop and leave the country."

Severus felt a pang of regret at those words. For the first time in decades he had the desire to get to know someone better. It figured that the person would be a target of one of the most powerful wizards in England and would likely have to leave as a result. He resolved at that moment to do whatever he could to find and destroy that scroll, no matter how badly he wanted it. He could do that much at least, then he could talk to Lucius, try to reason with him, and hope it didn't result in his being disciplined again. 

'_Disciplined_'; it was a pretty word for petty torture. He was still aching from the _discipline_ he had received earlier, which had been particularly vindictive, even for Malfoy. But he accepted it as he must. Lucius was one of the Dark Lord's most favored servants, and punishing the Death Eaters for their mistakes was his right. He could have left Snape's wand in his robes and he would never have drawn it, as retaliation would have resulted in his death, either from Malfoy or from the Dark Lord, himself.

"Severus?"

He shook himself from his reverie and turned his attention to Alex's face. She was staring at him with a mixture of humor and concern.

"Yes?"

"Are you alright?"

He blinked once, slowly. "I'm quite fine, just a bit tired."

She ignored the evasion. "That wasn't sleep in your eyes. What were you thinking about?"

"Nothing." He shifted his weight so that he could rise from the floor, and she placed a hand on his arm to halt him.

"Nothing?" she asked.

He raised that one brow as he had in Nina's restaurant. It was a captivating gesture. His gaze moved slowly from her hand to her eyes, questioning her motive. She revealed it to him without delay. "Can I ask you one more question?"

"If you feel you must."

Alex leaned forward and screwed up her courage to ask him what she'd been dying to ask since this morning. 

"Had you?" she whispered.

"Had I what?"

"Had enough?"

The look on his face was priceless, better than she'd hoped for. It began with confusion, grew into comprehension, then resolved itself into absolute astonishment mingled with a bit of horror.

His mouth formed the word several moments before he actually spoke it. "How?"

"Sorry. Trade secret."

She was about to lean back when she realized that what she really wanted was in the opposite direction. That soft mouth was still enticingly open, his eyes still warily awaiting her reaction to his confession, and her hand closed lightly on his arm as she moved to kiss him. Before she could reach her goal, however, a soft knock sounded on the door. 

Rolling his eyes at the interruption he called out irritably, "What?"

The door swung open to reveal Albus Dumbledore, dressed in a red robe emblazoned with golden stars looking as though he had slept nine hours instead of what could only have been three or four. "Good morning to you, as well, Severus." His gaze fell on the two of them and he smiled even as he blushed a bit. Modestly, he cleared his throat and lowered his eyes.

Severus wondered briefly why his Headmaster was looking as though he'd caught him in some minor indiscretion. Then he looked down to see his hand still resting on Alex's bare thigh, her hand on his arm as if pulling him back, his face mere inches from hers. It would easily seem as though they _were _involved in some less than decent activity. '_Well, had you given us a bit more time_.' he thought in frustration.

With a look of deep regret, he pulled away. Alex smiled to herself. He wasn't quite as devilishly handsome as Lucius, but there was definitely something there, a quick mind and a trace of endearing innocence behind his angry façade. In fact, he was either a tremendous actor or he had no idea how attractive he was, how perfectly imperfect.

The headmaster settled himself into an armchair by the fire as Alex sat up against the arm of the sofa. She hadn't realized that she was very underdressed, wearing only what appeared to be a hospital gown. '_Where did I get that_?' she wondered.

"Do you think there's a chance I could get my clothes back, please," she asked with a wry smile.

It was Albus who answered. "I asked Nina to drop by your home and bring something for you to wear."

"You sent her alone to the shop? Are you crazy?"

The Headmaster never batted an eye. "Some have speculated as much. However, I assure you that she was escorted by several formidable wizards of my acquaintance."

Alex blushed. "Oh. Good. Sorry."

"There's never any reason to apologize for caring," he responded gently. "She returned with your _entire_ wardrobe and most of your personal grooming effects." 

"Oh, thank Merlin. I could really use a shower."

The wizened wizard smiled warmly at her. "I'm sure you're also in need of some answers."

"Am I?"

"Perhaps we more than you, then. Would you like to tell us what happened?"

She gave a small sigh and looked away. "Not really, no. But, I will."

By the end of the story, which they allowed her tell without interruption, Dumbledore's eyes were slightly moist. "Well, Miss Borgin, you _are_ a resourceful girl, aren't you?"

Alex smiled at the compliment. "Well, I'm not a very accomplished witch. Being resourceful is the next best thing, I guess. A girl's got to survive."

Severus who had been pacing the floor, arms folded into his robes, looking murderous spoke up. "It's a testament to your intelligence that you did."

She blushed outright as she gazed at the potions master with something more than appreciation. Albus had the grace at that moment to busy himself rising from his chair and straightening his robes rather more than was necessary. He paused briefly before he spoke. "I'm afraid that Severus and I must excuse ourselves for a little while. There's a private matter we need to discuss." He turned a fatherly smile on her before adding, "The lavatory is just through that door."

At that, he started out of the room, Severus following close behind with only a quick, curious glance in Alex's direction as if she'd become a mystery to him.

Not only was a hot shower like a luxury after what she'd been through that night, it was interesting insight into the man who had saved her life. The room was small and sparsely but tastefully decorated. The mirror was framed by gleaming, impossibly-intertwined silver snakes and was far more sarcastic than most. As she discarded what little clothing she had left, the mirror made some rather suggestive comments about certain areas of her anatomy which could be better filled out, and as she widened her eyes at this, it suggested that her face could use a bit of color, as well. She practically leaped into the shower. '_Stupid mirror_,' she sulked. Then, '_I wonder what it says about Severus_.' Unlike the man in question, she let her mind conjure all sorts of images of what the other would look like under all those stuffy clothes. In her mind, he undressed with agonizing slowness and climbed into a steaming bath, moaning as he sank into the water. His head fell back, drenching his black hair and exposing a tender white throat. Crawling over his naked form, she bit and licked that lovely pale neck. It was a thought that left her breathless and she thoroughly enjoyed the fantasy while she scrubbed away the memories of the previous night. 

When she finally left the shower, having relieved herself of the tension that her fantasy had caused, she felt like a new woman. Crossing the office to the corner in which Nina had placed her wardrobe, she changed into some of her new, slightly more traditional clothing. She hadn't gone so far as to buy a robe which would have just been ridiculous for someone like her, but slipping into some flowing black trousers and a puffy-sleeved green blouse with an ankle-length black vest, she had to admit that she did feel a bit less like a sore thumb.

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Severus, for his part, was trying like hell to concentrate on what Dumbledore was saying to him instead of what had almost transpired in his office. The Headmaster was saying something about understanding the attraction, but focusing on one's duty to the Order. _Yes, yes. Get on with it_. 

"Has she agreed to accompany me to the Ministry?"

Severus vacantly realized he was being questioned, but it took him a moment to assimilate the query and formulate an answer. Albus interlaced his fingers on his desk and waited patiently.

"She doesn't wish to go, Headmaster."

"Oh?" He was slightly surprised, assuming that she would want to see justice served. "Why not?"

"She has some very good reasons, most of them based in self-preservation."

He looked a tiny bit disappointed. "Please explain."

Severus recounted Alex's reason's to Dumbledore who grew more and more frustrated. "I had no idea she was so self-serving."

A small, proud smile graced the mouth of the Slytherin Head of House. "Not everyone can be a Gryffindor, Headmaster."

"So it would seem, Severus. If she will not report to the Ministry, then I would like for you to accompany her today back to her store to try and find that scroll. Destroying it is the only way to keep her safe from Lucius."

"I should inform you, Headmaster, that she has every intention of finding it and giving it to him."

Dumbledore seemed taken completely taken aback. It was several moments before he regained his composure enough to speak. "How can this be so?"

"Again, ruthless self-preservation. She's correct in assuming that if she gives him what he wants, he'll leave her alone. One can only hope that we find it before he recruits more help." 

"Do you feel he'll inform Voldemort?"

"I'm afraid that he will. He's convinced that Alex is lying to him and that the scroll is hidden somewhere in the shop. Up 'till now, Lucius has avoided telling The Dark Lord of the potion because he wasn't sure that he could obtain it. It is not wise to promise him something one cannot deliver.

Presently, he'll either be more determined than ever, or he'll have given up entirely. I doubt the latter."

"Can you talk to him and find out?"

"No, Headmaster. I cannot. After my perceived 'failure' where the woman is concerned, it's likely that he'll no longer accept my assistance. I would be a fool to go to him and ask."

"We'll simply have to explain to her why it must be destroyed and hope that she does the right thing." Dumbledore rose from his desk with dignity and made his way to the revolving staircase. "Let us hope she can be reasoned with."

"The problem is that what you're asking of her is anything, but reasonable."

Without turning, the Headmaster replied. "War rarely is."

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Slate-one: I'm happy that you like my Lucius. I tried to keep him as close to character as possible as he is one of my favorites. Alex is special to me, so I am of course thrilled that you are accepting of her. By the way, you pegged her character almost exactly. As to the time period of the story, that is difficult. The bit about Lucius and Board Of Governors was a blunder on my part, nothing more. I had simply forgotten about his removal, to be honest (Lucius can do no wrong in my eyes). I had intended for the story to take place the in the summer right after GOF, but I'm not specific about it for my own personal reasons. Post OOTP is a bit frustrating for me as far as Lucius is concerned. I'm still sulking about his being caught, and as I'm also still sulking about Darth Maul biting the big one in Episode One, I don't feel that I'll get over _this_ any time soon. Thanks for the review!

Rycca: Thank you so much for reading and reviewing. I'm honored. I'm so glad that the reopening of the wound worked so well for you. I was hoping for something along those lines, sort of a primal bonding or a rite of passage for both of them. Of course, it's also just fun to have an excuse to swear at Severus for no good reason. 

Amberdulen: You're right about her calling him Sev. It's something most people couldn't away with, but she's sick and delusional and he's feeling very guilty about things. Good point about Nina conjuring a blanket. I read that in your review and did a Homer-- "Doh!" (slaps self on forehead). Interesting you should bring up the points of ellipses, I've actually written them into several chapters (including that bit), but I've noticed that when I upload my stories, they mysteriously disappear. It's most distressing. I'll try a double-hyphen next time.

J.S. Sumner: I'm glad that you're enjoying the story. I agree with you that making Severus understand the trouble that his arrogance causes is necessary sometimes. It's the first step to slipping through the chinks in our beloved potion master's armor. That's actually what I like best about a great fanfic on "Chocolate Frog" called Wicked Games. The author captured that idea perfectly. It's a great story in it's own right, by the way and I highly recommend it. 


	10. Chapter Nine

Chapter Nine  
  
It wasn't until Alex turned her attention to her damp hair that she realized she had no wand with which to dry it. "Damn." She'd have to replace it today, maybe at the wand shop across the road from Nina's café, Olli-something-or-other's. Meanwhile, she tied her hair back in a black ribbon. At least it was out of her face. Just for good measure, she loosened a few strands next to her face and twirled them around her fingers. Not bad for Alex, the wandless wonder, she thought with a small laugh.   
  
She sighed as she thought of her wand, and before she could intervene, her mind was replaying the scene in which she lost it. Unwillingly, she felt it wrenched from her grip, watched it fly into the hand of Lucius Malfoy and disappear into his robes, leaving her defenseless. Unable to refocus, the memory suddenly overpowered her; the awareness of her own helplessness that she had pushed away a hundred times since she had limped from her shop, feeling like the world had tilted on it's axis. The reminiscence was beyond her control now, the cold voice of Lucius Malfoy speaking a single world and the sickening feeling that her body was being ripped apart over and over again; knowing there was not a damn thing she could do to stop him. She'd have to endure until she died from the pain. It was completely hopeless. Her breath began to quicken, then she could barely breathe at all as the room began to spin. Vaguely, she heard someone call her name from far away just before she fell into the solace of oblivion.  
  
  
  
Some time later, Alex heard the sound of slightly raised voices. She almost laughed aloud when she recognized that Severus and the Headmaster were having a very quiet, very heated discussion about whether they should wake her, not realizing that they already had. For the moment, they thought that she was still out cold on Severus' bed, and she used their ignorance to her advantage, straining to hear what she could.  
  
"I tell you, she needs rest," came Severus' voice. "The poison has taken a tremendous toll on her, not to mention the Cruciatus curse. I assure you that no one wields it quite like Lucius Malfoy," he added grimly.   
  
"We cannot afford the delay. Members of the order have strongly warded the shop, but if Lucius unleashes the whole of Voldemort's forces tonight--"  
  
"Impossible. It's too dangerous. He'd never risk that kind of exposure."  
  
"It's not impossible, Severus. He's taken such risks before when there was something important to be gained."  
  
"That was different."  
  
The Headmaster became slightly heated. "Why? Because it didn't involve someone you cared for? How much is your infatuation with this girl costing your judgment?" Infatuation? Alex couldn't help but smile.  
  
Severus, however, clenched his teeth. He was getting tired of hearing this accusation. "My judgment is as sound as ever, Headmaster. You are the one who seems to be losing your head to blind panic."  
  
"Mind yourself, Professor. Remember who you are speaking to."  
  
Severus sighed deeply. "I am well aware of who you are, and well aware of whose side I am on. What I do not understand is why this cannot wait until tomorrow night when she's had some rest."  
  
"Severus, I know she's earned a rest, and I wish that she could have it. But if by some chance Lucius acquires that potion, some of us will not see tomorrow night. When the Death Eaters are mobilized, they are a force to be reckoned with, and with the ability to whisk away whomever they please, to wherever they please, the war would be over before we could even respond."  
  
The potions master fell into a chair, hanging his head in acceptance as Dumbledore conjured a small table and chairs. "Why don't you go and wake her, Severus? I'm sure she'll want some breakfast."  
  
The two spun around in sync when Alex spoke from the doorway. "Breakfast would be great. I'm starving."   
  
Severus responded first. "Are you alright?"  
  
"Never better."  
  
"You fainted. What--?"  
  
"Rough night," was the only explanation she gave. "What's for breakfast?"  
  
With a wave of his wand, Dumbledore produced a tray of muffins and pots of tea and coffee. Alex needed only a nod of encouragement before she swung into a chair and seized the coffeepot. She had finished two cups of coffee and eaten a huge banana-nut muffin while chatting amiably with the Headmaster before she felt sated enough to slow down and ask questions. "So," she began. "Who's Voldemort?"  
  
The sudden silence was deafening. Severus was staring at her in shock and Albus with amusement. "How much did you hear?"  
  
"Let's see. There's going to be a war. Lucius is going to send out all of the Death Eaters, whatever the heck those are, after my uncle's potion scroll, which has yet to make an appearance, and if they get their hands on it, the world is going to end. That's about it." She grabbed another muffin and refilled her coffee. "What did I miss?"  
  
"Quite a bit," Severus began.   
  
"Actually, I think she's summed it up fairly well. Now," He sternly looked over his folded hands. "What have you surmised?"   
  
It was a bit unnerving, having a look like that leveled at her by such a kindly old wizard. It sobered her at once and she replaced her cup on the table. "I've surmised a quite bit, but there are a few holes." When his only response was a slight nod, she continued. "I'm fairly certain that Severus and Lucius were conspiring to steal this potion scroll, and that one of them killed my uncle. While Severus does seem to feel awfully guilty about something, I don't think he's capable of murder." She gave the potion master a warm smile. "I assume that he is a double agent in a war against Voldemort, whoever he is, hence his outwardly friendly dealings with the enemy."  
  
"You're insight is almost disturbing," said Severus.  
  
"I'm not insightful, Severus. I can just see right through you," she said with a sweet smile. It wasn't true, and she didn't know why she said it unless it was to see those lovely obsidian eyes narrow in answer to the challenge.   
  
"So," she added, "who's Voldemort?"  
  
It was Dumbledore who answered. "Voldemort is the enemy of all good people. His main goal is the elimination of all muggles, whom he deems to be unworthy of life. But, he will not rest until he dominates all magical people, as well. He is a murderer and a tyrant, and his Death Eaters, no better. That is why they must never get their hands on the scroll hidden in your shop. It must be destroyed."  
  
"Excuse me a moment, but this scroll is my ticket out of this mess, and you're talking about it as if it belongs to you. I see no profit in allowing you to destroy it."  
  
"Then I will explain. What this potion does is create a link between two people. Once ingested by or applied to both, one can be apparated against his or her will to the side of the other with a simple incantation. If this fell into the hands of the enemy, countless wizards would be snatched from safety and killed or tortured for information. There are too many who would break under the anguish of a Death Eater's wand or the threat to a loved one who has been taken from them. Secrets could be revealed that would destroy nearly all hope of winning this war. If that means nothing to you, then know that their first target would be a very brave young boy whose done nothing to deserve their wrath. Like you, he's an innocent victim of circumstance."  
  
Severus spoke up, then. "Once Lucius knows that the scroll is gone, and I will inform him, he will have nothing to gain by harming you. As you said, to him it's just business."  
  
Alex had to admit, Dumbledore made a pretty good case, though she hated the idea of destroying anything because of it's capability to be used for evil. The same potion could be used for great good as well and the destruction or control of such items had always seemed like the worst kind of oppression to her. But, it would get Lucius off of her back and greatly help the people who had saved her life.  
  
"Ok, how's this?" began Alex. "I need to buy a new wand before I do anything this morning. I can't go on being the wandless wonder forever. After that, we'll all swing by my place and search it from top to bottom. If we find it--- well, I'll make a decision after I see the actual article. Fair enough?"  
  
"Fair enough," said Albus with a satisfied smile. "But, I must leave you two to begin the search without me. I have urgent business until midday. When it is completed, then I'll be along to assist."  
  
Alex beamed charmingly at the older man. "We'll see you then."  
  
  
  
The sun was shining brightly on Diagon Alley as Alex headed for Ollivander's to replace her wand. She had hoped that she and Severus could go together, but it wasn't safe for him to be seen it public with her just yet. In the end it was agreed that he should apparate at nine o'clock to her door where she would be waiting to let him in. Then they would have three hours alone together. The anticipation was killing her. It was like a first date, a working date, but she'd take what she could get.  
  
She would have been hard-pressed to explain why she had so rapidly grown fond of him. There was attraction, certainly, quite a bit. But, it was nothing like the absolute lust she felt when she looked at Lucius Malfoy. With him, it was all about his power; she ached to be filled with it, consumed by it, to lose herself in his darkness. What she felt for Severus was much more safe and comfortable. In fact, when she had first laid eyes on him at Nina's, she'd felt as though she'd known him for years. In fact, she had been almost certain, despite his callous attitude toward her, that he was risking himself to free her from Malfoy's spell. Now, she understood that she was right. That she could see right through him had been a lie, but it hadn't been that far removed from the truth.   
  
  
  
Ollivander's was not quite what she had anticipated. Dumbledore had spoken so highly of the place, she had expected much less dust and a bit more organization. Still, Ollivander himself seemed nice enough and very determined to find the right wand for her. As the wand she had lost to Malfoy had been her father's, she had never experienced the frustration and eventual exhilaration when the perfect wand finds you. It took many tries with several different combinations, but at last he placed a beautiful ebony wand in her hand and she felt the magic move within her, warmth spreading from her wand hand to pervade her entire body. It was a magnificent experience, took her breath away, really. This wand felt so different than her father's had, almost as if it were an extension of her hand.  
  
"Ebony and dragon heartstring, thirteen inches, that's an odd combination. Nevertheless, it would seem you have been chosen." Mr. Ollivander reached for the wand to place it back in it's box and wrap it for her.  
  
"If it's all the same to you, sir, I think I'll just hold onto it for awhile," whispered Alex, staring at the wand in awe.  
  
"I understand. First time owning your own?"  
  
"Yes, it is. I never imagined it made any difference."  
  
"If you've been using someone else's wand, or a wand that you selected instead of the other way around, it's likely that you've never cast a spell properly, I'm sorry to inform you."   
  
"Don't be sorry. It explains quite a bit, actually. All these years, I thought it was me." She paid her bill and headed for the door. "Thank you, Mr. Ollivander. It's been a pleasure."  
  
"Thank you, Miss Borgin."  
  
Alex was halfway back to her place before she realized that she had never told him her name.  
  
_____________________________________________________________________________________  
  
Ultrahotpink: Thank you. I'm so glad you're enjoying it.  
  
Silverfey: Will Alex survive this terrifying predicament? Will Severus admit to her that he was supposed to be protecting her from Lucius? Will Alex allow Dumbledore to destroy the scroll? Will she ever get our loveable potions master in bed? Tune in next chapter for another exciting episode! Ok. I'm sorry. I just had to do that. Love ya! It might be a few days before the next update. This is going to be a long weekend. 


	11. Chapter Ten

Chapter Ten

Albus Dumbledore had mentioned that his associates had put wards on her shop, but she hadn't imagined the extent to which they had carried out their task. As she placed the key in the lock, she could feel the magic invading her mind, searching out her identity and her intentions. It was obvious, also, that if she hadn't measured up she would not have been able to place a toenail inside. '_Wow. Remind me to thank him for that_.' Still, she wondered if it would be strong enough to stop Lucius Malfoy. Was anything?

Once inside, her eyes fell immediately on a scorched stain on the floor. It was a nasty reminder of what had happened here only the night before. A sinking feeling in the pit of her stomach reminded her that dwelling on it was a very bad idea, and she quickly shifted her thoughts to Severus. He would be here in less than half an hour.

Like a bolt, she darted up the stairs to tidy up her room,. Once the bed was made, she fluffed the pillows on the sofa. '_Really, Alex! He's coming here to work_.' Still, she turned and fluffed the pillow on the chair, as well. Now, she needed some sign of intellectual activity, something bookish. Still feeling completely ridiculous, she pulled several pieces of parchment from the drawer and placed the pile neatly on the desk with an enormous burgundy quill. Beside these, she placed two of her favorite books. _Rare Magical Treasures and Their Common Market Value_ and _Lethal Legends - A Guide To Ancient Cursed Objects. _With satisfaction, she turned and surveyed the room. Everything seemed fairly inviting, not bad at all for only having moved in two days ago. _Two days_, she thought as she pulled off her boots and placed them beside the desk. Just two days and she had been followed, tortured, poisoned, and brought back from the brink of death by a surly wizard who somehow seemed as familiar as her own reflection. She had a knack for getting into trouble, but this was a personal record. 

A surly wizard. Hmmm. Seemed so familiar. 

And this room. This room seemed to know him. 

Her eyes wandered, searching for something to connect with Severus. There was something here, something about him. Something important. Her eyes scanned from right to left. Sofa. Chair. Bed. Back to the chair. 

In front of the hearth. 

__

The Hearth! 

That dream! 

A tall, dark-haired wizard standing at the hearth, a bubbling cauldron -- a Potion brewing. Severus running his hands along the hearth. In the blink of an eye, she was across the room, her own hands running feverishly along the engravings around the hearth, eyes wide with excitement. 

They were symbols representing the Greek gods. Her mind strained to remember what each one was. Ares, god of war, Hephaestus, god of the blacksmiths, Dionysus, god of wine. Ah, yes. _Hermes_, god of merchants and thieves at the very top and in the center. That would be the one. Drawing her beautiful new wand, she pressed it's tip to the symbol and muttered every opening and lock-picking spell she knew. It was a major undertaking. Even speaking one on top of the other, they ran together for several minutes. When she finally ran out of spells, she just stood there and stared, brows knitted in an uncharacteristic scowl. Hmmm. Hermes, Uncle Borgin, merchants, suppliers -- thieves. Ah. 

Just as a hunch, she replaced her wand on the symbol and said, "There is no honor among thieves." Immediately, the symbols began to pull apart and the hearth itself split into two pieces. Behind it, in a tiny room, barely wide enough for her to stand up in, was a thin pedestal upon which she saw, at long last, a thick cylinder of parchment sealed with emerald green wax. She'd found the scroll.

Severus arrived at the door a few minutes later and Alex let him in quickly and quietly. 

"Thank you, Miss Borgin."

"It's Alex, Severus, and you're welcome. You're also too late." At the wary look in his eyes she clarified her statement. "To find the scroll, I mean."

"You've found it?"

She broke into a wide grin. "I found it." 

His head tilted slowly to the side, which she had learned was his silent method of communicating dismay. "How?"

"Trade secret?"

He crossed his arms like an emperor and glared down his proud nose before pronouncing, "Not good enough, Miss Borgin."

That name, again. What was that all about? "Fine, _Professor_, I'll show you." She put as much disdain as she could manage into his professional title, hoping that it annoyed him as much as 'Miss Borgin' disturbed her. _Probably not_, she thought, ruefully.

The hearth being split in half didn't seem to faze him as he stepped into the alcove to see the scroll. There he stood staring into the recess, seemingly lost in thought. After a full minute, he reached out a tentative hand. 

For a just moment, her more distrustful side took over and Alex stepped toward the potions master, hand moving for her wand, but then her more rational mind reminded her that Severus wanted the scroll destroyed. Or, did he? What had been that look in his eyes as he had stepped into the niche behind her hearth? It looked, for all the world, like desire. 

"Severus?" The hand flinched a few inches shy of it's goal, pale fingers clinching before he dropped his arm entirely. She was beside him when he stepped back. "I thought we could just leave it there for now, Severus," her hand resting lightly on the sleeve of his robe, "until your headmaster arrives." 

He turned his head to her, then, and she realized that she was wrong. That hadn't been desire in his eyes. It had been pure lust. The same look, she was certain, that had been in her eyes as she'd pulled a shaking hand from Lucius Malfoy's gossamer hair. "You want it, don't you?"

"Pardon me?"

"The potion on that scroll. I can't believe I didn't see it before. I mean, you are the potions god, after all."

"My desire for potions is not an issue here, Miss Borgin, nor--"

"Alright, that's enough." She spoke the works softly enough, but her uncommonly serious tone made him stop short. "Severus, what's going on? Why are you talking to me like I'm a stranger?"

"We are strangers, Miss Borgin. And, we are here for no other reason than to locate and destroy a threat to our cause."

"It's not _our_ cause, Severus Snape. It's yours. I want no part of your war." She took a very deep breath before looking him directly in the eye. "But, I do want you." 

He returned her gaze with equal intensity. "I fear I have given you the wrong idea."

"No, I have the right idea. You're the one who seems confused." Her eyes broke the contact and swept the room in frustration. 

"I assure you, I am not." He cupped her face in one thin hand and held her eyes with his own. "We cannot have this, Alex. Lucius would kill us both rather than take the risk."

"Well," she began, placing her hands on his sides and fixing him with a look of complete wickedness, "Lucius isn't here right now."

"I cannot--"

"Oh, I'll bet you can," she purred, eyes tracing the line of buttons on the front of his coat suggestively. His resolve seem to waver as she ran her hands slowly along his sides, then moved to caress his arms. 

A slender hand slipped around her waist to rest on the small of her back allowing her to feel the rapid heartbeat hidden beneath that controlled façade as he gave her a look of warning. "I can offer you nothing beyond this."

Alex's smiled iniquitously in victory. "Then, you have nothing to lose."

Desirous as she was of him, she was not fully prepared for the intense ferocity with which he descended upon her, pulling her body so tightly against his own that she could feel his arousal. His kiss was possessive, almost angry, as he bit at her bottom lip demanding entry. Not wanting to discourage him, she yielded without hesitation, seeking to explore him as well. When his tongue met her own, she released a moan of desire into his mouth, her hands tightening on his thick black coat.

It was then that she realized how overdressed he was for such warm weather. She had never been faced with this much clothing, but she worked with feverish determination and notoriously quick fingers to divest him of it as he alternately bit, kissed, and caressed her lips and throat. She was down to the last few buttons on his starched white shirt three layers below before he began to strip her from her own clothing. This goal he pursued with no more delicacy than he had anything else. He managed the first few buttons on her vest before he lost all patience with it and wrenched the fabric with such force that the button scattered to the corners of the room. The shredded piece of fabric that remained he dropped behind her as long, cool fingers slid deftly under her green blouse causing her to draw in a sharp breath and he pulled away from her, eyes questioning. 

She took the brief retreat as an opportunity to step back from him and, very slowly, keeping her eyes locked on his, divest herself of the rest of the clothing above her waist. He watched with barely-contained lust, eyes greedily drinking in the sight, fingers twitching at his sides. She had barely finished shrugging the fabric from her shoulders when he grabbed her by the arm and pulled her back to him with such force that she was nearly thrown from her feet. He crushed her lips in another rough kiss, pulling her tongue into his mouth as he maneuvered them to the bed and shoved her gracelessly down atop the cool black satin.

Severus had given up on being subtle with this woman. If she wanted him half as much as he wanted her and was prepared to accept the lack of commitment or even outward signs of affection, then he would be damned if he'd let the opportunity pass him by. He had expected her to be put off by his customary roughness, but it seemed quite the contrary. Not only had she not been disturbed, she had matched his intensity and seemed to enthusiastically surrender to her own primal nature. Now, she moaned in pleasure beneath him as he teased her nipple between his teeth, her nails drawing thin lines of blood from his arms and shoulders. The pain was exquisite! It fueled his intensity, driving him into a frenzy as he hastily pushed her trousers down shapely legs, careful to avoid the bandage still adhered to her thigh. When he could reach no further, he reluctantly pulled his mouth from her breast, but his willful lover grabbed a handful of black hair and brought his lips back to her own as she kicked the cloth from her legs and used her bare feet to remove his shoes. He chuckled faintly into her mouth. Even her feet were resourceful.

Her fingers gradually unwound from his hair and began to explore elsewhere while strong legs entangled his own. Her hands seemed everywhere at once, roughly kneading his shoulders, back, arms, and hips; occasionally pulling fistfuls of hair to draw his greedy mouth from her own so she could bite and kiss his delicate white throat. Unfastening his trousers with one hand, she used the leverage from the other to roll them both over as she quickly rid him of the rest of his clothing and began to trace kisses down his chest. Taking small bites of his abdomen and thighs, she discovered, caused his breath to come in gasps, licking the wounds extracted moans. And the closer she brought her mouth to his arousal, the more frustrated those moans became. When she finally touched her tongue to the tip, he called her name as if pleading for mercy. She swallowed him in one smooth motion as he balled the blanket into his fists, fighting the desire to begin thrusting into that hot and silken aperture. 

Alex, not wanting to end this exquisite pleasure too soon, moved dreadfully slowly now, pausing when his breath became too rapid to caress his swollen member with soft, slow kisses. She wanted to spend all day and night like this; exploring, testing, teasing. His soft moans were intoxicating as were his tiny pleading whispers. It was obvious that he hated how much he wanted her and the knowledge that she was making him more and more desperate was pure ecstasy. She had brought him to the edge now several times and stopped. Too much teasing, though and she feared he would take control again. 

Severus was indeed contemplating simply pinning the woman to the bed and taking her. He knew she wouldn't have objected for long, yet something caused him to hesitate. She seemed to be thoroughly enjoying herself and though his frustration was mounting, every time she whispered his name he renewed his resolve to let her have her way. But, now he had reached the end of his patience. She couldn't possibly expect him to endure _this_ much longer. 

Both hands reached down and tangled in her hair to drag her back to his waiting lips. She didn't resist, but returned rather willingly and kissed him deeply as she spanned his hips with slender thighs. "Severus?" she whispered, pulling away to gaze deeply into eyes as black as night.

"Yes?" he answered in what would have been a mocking tone had it not been so breathless. 

"Do you want me?" she asked with a smirk that she must have picked up from him. 

The shock in her golden eyes was unmistakable as he answered simply, "No." 

Nevertheless, he seized her hips in an iron grip and positioned himself directly against her tight, slick opening. Her breath quickened as he held her there and stared predatorily into her eyes. 

"Do _you_ want _me_?" he asked. When she didn't answer right away, he pushed the head of his shaft only slightly inside causing her to gasp and dig her nails into his already scraped flesh. "Alex?"

"_Yes_, please, don't stop. Take me_, _now_. Please_." _That_ was the answer he had wanted and he released her, sliding completely inside her warmth with a sigh of pleasure. 

Head thrown back, moaning, cursing and whimpering his name all in turn, Alex was captivating to watch as she rocked on top of him matching the movement of her hips with his rhythmic thrusts. Soon they were moving perfectly together, as if they had long been lovers. It was a euphoric dance, punctuated by the rhythm of their breathing. 

Severus was coming closer to the edge now and he slowed his thrusts so that he could better please his lover. When he found the right spot, that tiny crucial point of flesh, her fingers dug into his chest and she leaned into his hand, her hair spilling around his face. "Oh, Sev, yes. Right there. Harder, harder." Her pleading continued for only a few moments then she grew quiet as her eyes grew wide and her breathing came in short gasps. Her body went completely ridged a second before she cried out in ecstasy. It was almost enough to drive him over the edge, but not enough. Her body was still convulsing around him as she leaned back, hands on his thighs and began moving with him again, faster this time. It was only a matter of seconds before he shuddered in rapture himself, and she fell forward, collapsing on his chest in blissful contentment. After a few moments, she spoke.

"Severus?"

"Hmm?"

"I think I like you." She turned her head to face him with a sweet smile which he met with a grim look of disapproval.

His response was quiet, but intense. "You're going to get us killed."


	12. Chapter Eleven

Chapter Eleven

The desire to knock the wand from Dumbledore's hand was not extremely strong, but it was closer to the forefront of Severus' thoughts than he ever would have admitted as the Headmaster prepared to obliterate the potion scroll behind Alex's hearth. He considered attempting to reason with the older wizard again, but knew that nothing he could say would result in a change of heart. It would only invite another lecture. 

Alex was perched on the edge of the sofa, watching Dumbledore with great interest. It had taken quite some time to convince her to give up the scroll, but after much negotiation, she had traded it for unbreakable wards on the shop (which had taken over an hour to place), a part-time tutor and correspondence courses in higher magic. 

_"You're such a bright girl, Alexandria," the Headmaster said with warmth. "Why did you not finish school?"_

"I was expelled in my fifth year," she answered matter-of-factly.

"May I ask why?" 

"Yes. You may." With a tiny, quick smile she made it clear that she wasn't planning to elaborate. Dumbledore, with his usual grace, did not press the issue.

At the moment of the scroll's destruction, Severus was forced to look away, not only from the blinding flash of light, but from the willful annihilation of knowledge, as well. It positively sickened him. He had so wanted that scroll! His averted gaze brought his eyes to rest on Alex who was watching Dumbledore with a curiously sweet smile. It was the same look that she had worn after she walked away from the note on the bench and when she acknowledged that she knew he had been her shadow. He had begun to realize that that smirk meant she was up to something. _Curious_. 

While Severus was still observing Alex, Dumbledore spoke. "Well, that's done, then."

He turned to Alex with a fatherly smile. "You've made the right choice, Alexandria."

"Please don't call me that."

"I'm sorry, Alex." The elderly wizard sat down on the chair beside her. "I'm not your enemy, you know. I'm aware that you wanted to keep this item, but I hope you understand the necessity of it's destruction." 

"You made a fair trade for it. It was yours to do with as you please." Dumbledore eyed her over the top of his spectacles and she felt the need to explain. "I don't agree with you. I think that the wanton destruction of knowledge is perverse, but the main reason I wanted to keep it was because of Lucius Malfoy. If your wards are as indestructible as you claim, and I believe they are, and if you intend to continue my education so that I can better defend myself if the need arises, then there's no reason for me to hold on to the thing." 

The headmaster considered this a moment before he spoke again. "I'll be much more comfortable when Severus has cleared this matter up with Lucius, and you are no longer a target of his. Do you have an owl?"

"No. I've never needed one."

"This may be a very good reason to invest in one. I would like for you to notify me or Severus if you have any more difficulties with Lucius. Agreed?"

"Maybe."

"I beg your pardon?" the older wizard responded gently.

Alex looked immediately remorseful. "I'm sorry. That was rude. I'm afraid that all of this insanity has finally caught up with me." She gave a great sigh and rested her head in her hands. "I'm exhausted."

"Of course you are, Alex. How inconsiderate of me." He rose to his feet. "My potions master tells me that the poison has completely left your body, but the strain you've been through has been arduous, I'm certain. You may rest without fear, now. The wards I've placed on this building are infallible. No one can harm you while you are on these premises. I'll leave you to your rest." He turned to Severus. "Shall we?" 

"I'll be along in a moment, Headmaster. There's a small matter that I must address before I go."

"Don't keep her, Severus."

"I assure you that I will be brief."

Severus stood as if frozen, staring at Alex with a calculating glare until the door was heard below. The sound seemed to release him from his reverie and he immediately folded his hands within his robes, and narrowed those glittering black eyes. 

"What are you up to, Alex?"

"Come again?" She was reclined against the arm of the sofa, now, smiling innocently up at him.

"Don't play games with me, Miss Borgin."

"Severus, I can't believe that you don't trust your own lover."

He crossed the distance between them in an instant with a look of such hostility that she felt compelled to place her hand on her wand. He slid neatly down beside her and roughly took her chin in his hand, forcing her eyes to meet his. "One lustful tryst hardly makes us lovers and, no, I don't trust you. You are conspiring to some untoward end. I can see it in your eyes."

Alex removed his hand from her face and entwined his fingers with her own, still wearing that insufferable grin. "I think you're confused. That's my '_I've been thoroughly screwed and I need to sleep_' look." 

"It's as if everything is a game to you. Do you not understand how serious this is?"

"Severus, relax. There's no scroll anymore. Everything's fine, now."

"No, everything is _not_ fine! Only an idiot would think that way, and you are most certainly not an idiot."

"Thank you."

The potions master pulled his hand from hers, pinched the bridge of his nose and sighed in agitation. "It's obvious that you will not be persuaded to tell me the truth. Therefore, I see no reason to remain here. I must see to informing Lucius of the scroll's destruction. Hopefully, the knowledge will draw his wrath away from you." He stood abruptly. "You do not know him as I do, Alex. Whatever you're planning, if it involves him, would be aided by my considerable understanding of his nature. I trust that you will inform me if you choose to be truthful, before it is too late."

He took only two steps before he found her blocking his path, her expression one of uncharacteristic seriousness. Merlin, she was quick! "Severus, please don't leave like this. I swear to you I'm not planning anything. I wish that I did have a plan. But, for once, I'm at a loss." His eyes narrowed in distrust. "Honestly, Severus. I didn't mean to make you angry. I'm naturally flippant, and the more nervous I am, the more sarcastic I become. My father used to say that it was my strongest defense," she added with a wistful smile.

He was immediately intrigued. "Were you close to your father?"

"Yes." Her eyes misted just slightly. "We were really good friends." 

"I assume he has passed on?"

For a moment, her face softened, but she stiffened abruptly and clenched her jaw in anger. "Yes. He's dead, and so is the bastard that killed him," she answered harshly. "It's not something I care to discuss."

As interested as he was in her past, he didn't feel that it would be wise to push the issue. She had revealed a piece of the puzzle, he was certain that she would reveal more in time. Resisting the temptation to use his considerable occlumency skills, he merely nodded his acceptance. "I understand. I really must be going. Lucius will be polishing his wand."

With nothing more said and not a backward glance spared, he swept down the stairs and out of the room. For a few moments, she stood still in the silence, then softly she began to cry. Not even bothering to walk to a chair, she crossed her legs beneath her, folded her body on top of them, buried her hands in her hair and sobbed.

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Lucius,

I deeply regret to inform you that our mission has failed. Upon arriving at Nina's with grievous injuries, Miss Borgin was immediately escorted to Madam Pomphrey's infirmary where I was brought in to cure her of the poison you so skillfully administered. As Albus is well-aware that most of the poisons in your possession are of my own design, I had no choice but to succeed. 

Upon returning her to her home this morning, Dumbledore successfully located our scroll. It is with great remorse that I admit I was unable to talk her out of trading the scroll to him. His offer was such that I could not match it, and even if I had, the old fool would have seen the instructions destroyed against my will before he allowed me to brew the potion.

Respectfully, 

Severus Snape

Snape,

_I expect you at the manor immediately upon receiving this letter. _

Malfoy

Well, that was disturbing. Severus adjusted his robes and took several deep breaths. There was no time to inform Albus. When Malfoy said 'immediately,' he meant it. He would no doubt know exactly how long it took his eagle owl to reach Hogwarts and was more than likely already pacing his sitting room. 

"It's about time," was the warm greeting he received when he stepped out of the fireplace at the Malfoy estate. Upon opening his eyes, he was met with the sight of that wicked black wand pointed his way yet again. '_Not Again_,' he thought.

Thankfully, Malfoy only muttered a cleaning spell which removed the soot from his robes. Ah, yes, Merlin forbid anything less than pristine touch his furniture. Lucius himself was looking perfect, with no indication that he had had anything but a perfectly restful evening. "Thank you, Lucius." He forced himself to look the man directly in the eyes. It would not do to give any indication that he held their last meeting against him.

"Sit down, Severus," he ordered in his coldest voice.

"As you wish."

There was no proffered wine this time as the fair-haired wizard took a seat opposite his subordinate. "I needn't tell you how disgusted I am that our potion is lost to us."

Severus lowered his eyes briefly. 

"Would you like to hazard a guess as to what happened immediately after Miss Borgin slipped out of my grasp last night?"

Severus' bewildered look was answer enough.

"I was summoned." A feeling of dread began to build in the potion master's stomach. 

"I was forced to crawl to my wand, apparate _on - my - knees_, with a broken nose, a scalded face, and the knowledge that I had been outmaneuvered by an unarmed slip of a witch." 

Severus forced his face to remain impassive, knowing that the quiet fury with which these words were spoken did not bode well for Alex's future. "What happened?"

"He questioned me, of course. And when I had told him everything, he disciplined me--for hours." Lucius ran a hand through his hair, an unusual gesture, one that Severus had not seen since they were at Hogwarts together. It made him look like a teenager again. But, it was a fully grown wizard who uttered the next words. "I want nothing more than to see that girl's mangled body rotting in my dungeon." It was a nasty reminder of who that young man had become under the Dark Lord's influence.

Severus' mind was already working out a plan to get out of here, get word to Alex, and move her out of the country within the hour. His furious thoughts were interrupted by Lucius.

"Unfortunately, our master has other plans for Miss Borgin." Severus' racing thoughts came to an abrupt halt. Thankfully, his stunned silence was taken for attentiveness and Lucius continued. "It is his opinion that she may prove to be of use. He feels she showed great resourcefulness in escaping one of his highest-ranking Death Eaters. And, admittedly, she did seem more cooperative than her uncle. If she reestablishes contact with his suppliers, she could acquire other items that would prove of use to our cause."

Severus kept his voice level when he answered. "The Dark Lord is wise."

"Of course," said Lucius, a bit too softly. "If she could be persuaded to assist us, she would prove to be a valuable asset. If she did not impress, well, accidents happen," he purred with a charming smile. 

"She's not the type to need much persuasion, just a good reason." 

"And may I ask what good reason she had for not going to the ministry? I assume that was your doing."

"It was my intention to dissuade her when the subject was brought up, but that proved to be unnecessary. She had her own reasons for not wanting to go."

"Such as?"

"Such as a healthy respect for your power. She was well-aware that you could easily come out of a ministry inquiry looking even better than you do already. Yet, forcing you to go to such trouble would only invite your retribution. She's no fool. She has no desire to be on the wrong side of your wand again." 

Lucius raised his brows. He was impressed against his will. "That was a very smart decision. She's quite correct, of course. I had every intention of retaliating, if only to prove who was the stronger, but had she gone to the ministry, she would have regretted it for many excruciating years. I'm not certain that I would ever have granted her the peace of death."

Severus shivered. He knew of one former ministry official who had been in the Malfoy dungeon for over a decade. He was listed as 'missing, presumed dead' in the Ministry files. Unfortunately, he was still very much alive.

"We have been given other orders, however," Lucius rose from his chair and began pacing the room. "I shall leave it to you to gather as much information as possible from Miss Borgin, since you seem to be so _fond_ of her," he added this last bit with a sneer.

Severus ignored the bait. "And you?"

"There are other sources of information that I can tap. I will seek her out in time, when I am not feeling so uncharitable. I have no doubt the method of persuasion that will work best with her. But, it would not do to have her naked and helpless beneath me just yet, as the temptation to break her neck would be greater than I could presently resist."

Lucius poured a single glass from his bottle of wine. "Now, get out."

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Siverfey: I'll clear up the wand matter, I promise. Please keep reading. Your reviews are like a warm blanket.

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Arwen78: Thanks so much for the review, and thanks for the review of chapter 3. That was quite informative as I wasn't sure whether I was being too subtle.

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Slate One: That's one heck of a review! I really appreciate it. Let me assure you, hopefully without giving away any of the plot, that Alex is as self-serving, conniving, and dastardly as they come. What she lacks in magical ability, she makes up in the willingness to whatever it takes to survive. She's not about to start wearing red and gold, if you know what I mean. Don't worry. I won't turn her into a good guy. 

_"Alex probably does not realize what she is dealing with, and that she has bitten off more than she can chew. Lucius is a pitiless murderer, a ruthless and vicious enforcer of the Death Eaters, the man takes pride in his work."_ I can tell that you love the man as much as I do. Cheers!

Rycca: (From your chapter 9 review) I completely agree with your assessment of Dumbledore. His nobility is questionable at best. And, yes. I make it point to expose that in my writing. Thank you for your review. 


	13. Chapter Twelve

Chapter Twelve

"It went better than I expected," answered Severus Snape.

Dumbledore released an audible sigh. "I am greatly relieved. You have performed magnificently as always, Severus."

A slight inclination of his head was the only acknowledgement of the compliment. He had not told Dumbledore even half of the truth, but neither had he lied. The Headmaster could usually see right through fabrication, therefore he had learned to weave the facts into a tapestry of his own design. It was neither truth, nor fiction, but his version of reality as he saw fit to reveal to others. 

"If I may take my leave, Headmaster, I really must get some rest."

"Of course, of course. Sleep well."

Severus swept out of the Headmaster's office, his mind overwhelmed with thoughts. He needed a very long slumber before he would be able to sort through them. How in the world he was supposed to balance his act between Dumbledore, Alex, Lucius and the Dark Lord, he did not know. Things were complicated enough. There were benefits, though. Because his relationship with her was no longer a death sentence, he could take full advantage of the woman's passion. It had been a long, long time since he had had a relationship that he could engage in publicly, much less that he so completely enjoyed. It would be interesting as well to discover what elements came together to create Alexandria Borgin.

On the other hand, he had been hoping that, after today, Lucius Malfoy would no longer be a problem for her, instead he still needed only the slightest provocation to kill her, even less as she had caused him such injury the night before. He had not seen him that angry with any one person since Harry Potter had thwarted his effort to revive the Dark Lord and freed his house elf. The stupid boy still had no idea how close he had come to death that day. Luckily, between Albus' wards and the Dark Lord's interest, her safety was slightly more assured than before . His last thought before he drifted off to sleep was the hope that he could trust her enough to choose the right side, though he certainly couldn't blame her if she didn't.

Alex awoke the next morning with a sense of great hope. Once again, she had managed to spit in Death's eye and live to tell the tale. She had received a letter late yesterday afternoon from Dumbledore stating that Lucius was no longer out for her blood and that Severus had agreed to be her tutor at least until next term started. It would still be possible to open the shop in a few days and today she could have breakfast in peace while chatting with Nina. Things were definitely looking up again.

Opening up her wardrobe, she chose an all-black ensemble with a crisp, white, high-collared blouse beneath just because it reminded her of Severus. He had said that theirs was just a lustful tryst, a meaningless one-shot deal, but she hoped that he was allowing his frustration to speak for him. He had gotten less sleep than she had, after all, and his stake in this was higher than hers because he actually cared what happened to one side or the other. 

Alex found herself doing everything she possibly could with her new wand just because she never tired of the extreme feeling of control. It was exactly as Ollivander said, as if she'd been casting spells incorrectly her entire life. The difference was immeasurable. Maybe she could become a decent witch, after all. Closing the door to her shop with a flick of her wand, she headed for Nina's with a spring in her step.

Nina immediately smothered her in a motherly embrace when Alex entered. "Oh, my dear, I was so terribly worried for you! Albus assured me that you were alright, but I have positively _ached_ to see you again."

Alex grinned broadly at the sight of Nina running this way and that, preparing breakfast as she chattered incessantly about how worried she had been and how angry she was that Albus hadn't forced her to go to the Ministry and file a report. "I distinctly heard you mention Lucius Malfoy to Severus, but Albus insists that you were delirious from the poison and had no idea what you were saying or indeed whom you were speaking to. And I must admit that I found it odd that he would have any reason to harm you. But, if you couldn't identify your attacker, you could at least have had the Ministry search the place for evidence of him. Not that Albus and Severus aren't as good or better than anyone the Ministry has, but really!" She slammed a towel on the counter before she hefted the heavily-laden tray to a nearby table. 

"I hope you're in the mood for apple-cinnamon, dear. Here's a nice cup of coffee, black, just the way you like it. Just eat your breakfast and let me _look _at you." She spoke the last words breathlessly as she plopped down into the chair opposite Alex and sighed with relief. Alex couldn't comply, though. She was too busy laughing at the woman's uncharacteristic tirade. 

"Well, it may seem funny to you, my dear, but for a while there I thought I'd gone and let someone do you in." Nina wiped her eyes on her apron. 

"Nina, my welfare is hardly your responsibility. Besides, Dumbledore was right. I'm perfectly fine. See. I'm eating muffins and drinking coffee just like I did my first day here. Thanks to some tremendous wards on my shop, I can rest easy while I'm there, and Severus Snape has kindly agreed to tutor me in defensive magic. Nothing to worry about."

"Oh, no, my dear. Severus is awfully harsh. Can't one of the other professors make time for you, Minerva or Flitwick, perhaps?"

"I don't want anyone else, Nina. He saved my life. He's been nothing but kind to me and, truth be told, I find him to be very attractive."

"Do you, now? Well," she sat back and folded her hands over her belly. "Who would have thought? Does he know how you feel about him?"

Alex smiled and turned her attention to her muffin. "I think I've given him some indication, yes."

"Well, don't play too hard to get, dear. That one is going to need some encouragement."

"I'll bear that in mind." Alex reached into her pocket for her coin purse, but Nina took her hand gently. 

"Breakfast is on the house, today, dear." 

"Nina--"

"No arguments, young lady. Besides, Master Malfoy left enough gold yesterday to cover your meals for a month."

Alex forced a laugh at this. A memory of pale hair entwined in her fingers swam in her mind an instant before she pushed it away. Damn that man.

"You will be here for breakfast tomorrow, won't you?"

Alex embraced her warmly. "Of course I will."

"You have a good day, Alex."

"You too."

Eeylops Owl Emporium had been noisy, smelly, and dark. But, as Alex left with a beautiful and remarkably smart great gray owl, she was feeling very warm toward the place anyway. So many firsts in this new home; her first Mother-figure, her first wand, and now her first companion animal, an owl at that! She named him Zephyr without any deliberation.

It was difficult keeping her eyes on the avenue ahead while gazing fondly at her new companion. It was, in fact, only when a large shadow crossed her path that she looked up completely. What she saw made her wish that she hadn't. Lucius Malfoy, resplendent in a black cape, lined in green silk stood just a few feet in front of her, eyeing her with pure malevolence. The thrill of terror that swept through her was enough to ensure her complete silence. He, in turn, spoke not a word but gave her a single, slow nod and proceeded down the Alley as if she was beneath his notice.

Damn, the man was breathtaking! He either had a team of very well-trained mediwizards on his payroll or she had dreamed the whole encounter with him. 

As soon as she got home and removed her boots, she began to make the place more habitable for Zephyr. She set up his perch next to her desk and opened the window in case he wanted to fly. The idea of keeping him cooped up in a cage just didn't sit well with her. After filling his bowls with owl treats and water, respectively, she sat at her desk and grabbed a piece of parchment from the stack.

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Dear Severus,

What do you think of my owl? Isn't he a beauty? His name is Zephyr if you care to address him directly. Please inform Dumbledore that I followed his instructions and now have a reliable mode of communication.

I am writing to express my sincere gratitude for the care that you bestowed upon me when I was injured. I don't believe that I have done so yet, and I am ashamed of my rudeness. I'm afraid that I allowed my gratitude to resolve itself into passion and never actually spoke the words that I should have. For that, I apologize.

I do not regret our time together, Severus, even if it meant nothing to you. I have not been that close to another in many years and it meant the world to me, to feel your skin against mine and taste the sweat of your passion. You were wonderful, and I would take nothing for the experience. Indeed, I hope to repeat it someday. 

Perhaps we can spend some time together, just the two of us. Would you care to join me for dinner at my home tomorrow evening? I would love to discuss my upcoming lessons with you. Please let me know if you are free around six o'clock or seven. It would be my pleasure to have you all to myself for a few hours without worry of interruption.

Always,

Alex

Ps. I saw Lucius Malfoy on Diagon Alley this morning, looking as perfect as ever. He deliberately stepped into my path and then moved on without saying a word. Any idea what that was all about?

Alex spent the rest of the day finishing the task she should have completed two days ago; cleaning the shop, refinishing the counters and display cases and mending the chipped glass in both. It was a long, grueling set of tasks, but it gave her great satisfaction to see the place shining like a new galleon by the wee hours of the morning. 

She had taken a brief break when Zephyr had returned with Severus' reply and decided to read the letter over lunch. It was the first meal she had cooked on her uncle's stove and it turned out to be a spectacular disaster, complete with flaming rolls and an exploded potato. Obviously he had enchanted it to cook faster than a muggle microwave. This was a hell of a way to find out, but better today than tomorrow when, hopefully, Severus would be there. Munching an apple, she opened his letter to find out.

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My dear Alex,

It is I who should extend an apology. I should not have left you so abruptly while you were so obviously in pain, but I was in a desperate hurry to release you from the threat that Malfoy represents. 

I, as well, harbor no regret about our time together. I was wrong for referring to our lovemaking so callously, but I felt that my weakness had placed us both in great danger. Marry that with the disgust I was feeling at the destruction of that scroll ( you were correct about my desire to possess it) and you can imagine that I was not myself. As a matter of fact, I do not believe we've ever had the opportunity to talk when I was not wholly occupied with some other concern. 

It is with this in mind that I accept your invitation. I would be honored to be a guest in your home. Six o'clock would be most convenient for me, if it is still acceptable to you. 

Sincerely,

Severus Snape

Ps. Lucius was no doubt reestablishing his dominance by allowing you to see that you did no lasting damage to him. You did well in allowing him to do so. He will now feel that you are sufficiently convinced of his superiority and may leave you alone for a time.

With a smile of satisfaction, Alex stashed the letter in a desk drawer. Her relief at the soft response given by the naturally irascible potions master was considerable. She had harbored a tiny fear that he would feel she was being too forward, but he didn't seem the type to let stuffy ethics get in the way of his own pleasure. It was good to know that her initial impression of him was correct. 

Her only real problem with Severus was the way he could slip right past her guard. She felt far too comfortable with him and that was a detriment if she wished to keep any of her skeletons in the closet where they belonged. She hadn't missed his immediate interest in her father, and his subsequent questions had made her extremely uncomfortable. The memories that he had managed to revive were not pleasant ones. They reeked of blood and guilt and desperation, and she had no desire to relive them. 

Severus would simply have to understand that her life was never going to be an open book. After all, she hadn't noticed his leaping to reveal his secrets to her. Most of what she knew of him she'd had to guess. 

He was a double agent, managing to keep a foot in the respective camps of two deadly wizards. He felt extremely guilty about something he had done that was directly related to Lucius Malfoy's hostilities; probably the poison was his own formula. It hadn't escaped her that he had known exactly how to cure her. After all, it stood to reason that the dark wizard he 'served' would want to take full advantage of his knowledge of deadly potions and his ability to create more. He had also denied his desire for her uncle's scroll, as if she wouldn't see it in those lovely black eyes. What else was he hiding behind that foreboding exterior? More than his share of secrets, no doubt. And a passion that had swept over her like a tidal wave, leaving her aching for more.

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Siverfey: I just love plot twists. Plodding along with the same story line gets really boring. I'm flattered that this is as fun for you to read as it is for me to write.

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Arwen78: I thought the same thing about Lucius' comment. Severus may not be the most romantic suitor in the world, but what's his is his. Period. I'm glad you're enjoying it.

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Maranna: Sorry about the "cliffies." Hope you'll forgive my love for them and keep reading.


	14. Chapter Thirteen

Dear Reader, I know that this is a LOT of Alex, but I swear on my copy of OOTP that this chapter is necessary. Thank you, Escaped.

Chapter Thirteen

Severus unbuttoned his coat and adjusted the shirt beneath for the third time with an exasperated sigh. He could easily recall meetings with Voldemort that had caused him less anxiety. He had been much more comfortable in his relationship with Alex when it had been limited to visceral response and basic survival. But, if he failed to keep the information flowing from her, if he backed off in the slightest, Lucius would be there to fill the breach in more than one sense, and that was absolutely unthinkable. He would poison the egotistical bastard first.

Wishing that, just once, he could leave the damned Order and the Death Eaters out of some aspect of his life, he apparated to Knockturn Alley. Only a few seconds passed between his knock on the door and Alex's appearance. In an instant, she had flung the door wide and greeted him with a dazzling smile, the picture of health, and he again congratulated himself on a job well done. No sign remained that she had been deathly ill a few days before. 

"Severus, I can't tell you how happy I am to see you!"

"It's good to see you as well, Alex."

"Come in, come in." 

He didn't bother hiding his astonishment at the extreme difference in the appearance of the shop, and it seemed to please his hostess to no end. 

"Not a bad place at all, is it?" she asked, beaming. 

"I am overwhelmed."

"Hopefully, my customers will be equally impressed." 

"When do you plan to reopen?"

"Three days."

He tilted head in disbelief. "And you think that's possible?"

"Sure it is. I just need to clear up a few matters with the Ministry." Her displeasure with this was evidenced by her tone. "They seem to find endless amusement in plaguing me with questions and directives about what I can and can't sell." Her eyes narrowed slightly. " Bureaucratic bastards."

"You aren't planning on dealing in illegal items, are you?"

"Why? Are you planning a raid?" she asked with a charming grin.

"Alex--"

"Severus, you're _killing_ me. Come on up." She took his hand in her own before he could protest and started off toward the stairs. 

Once she was settled on the sofa, Severus tapped his wand twice on the side table and produced two silver goblets. From an inner pocket he drew a bottle of deep red wine and proceeded to fill the glasses, passing one to Alex. "I'm fond of having a drink before dinner. You?" 

She very rarely indulged, but it was difficult to refuse him when he was gazing at her expectantly with those intense eyes. She took the glass without hesitation. "Thank you." 

"You're quite welcome, Alex." 

Taking his seat beside her, he added, "May I ask why you refuse to be called Alexandria?" He wanted to ask as well why the one person who seemed to be exempt from this rule was Lucius Malfoy, but he had promised himself for the sake of his temper that he would keep her lust for Lucius out of the conversation.

"Alexandria was my mother's name. My father named me after her when she died and spent the remainder of his years confusing the two of us."

"I thought that you and your father got on well."

That piercing gaze of his was making her nervous, which made her mouth dry, which enticed her to begin draining her glass rapidly. She knew that it was a bad idea, but the wine was good and the company even better. "You misunderstand me. I loved my father. But, when my mother died, I was the biggest part of her that he had. It often escaped him that I was a completely separate entity."

"And, that didn't ruin your relationship with him?"

"No. It caused the occasional bit of friction, but most of the time we maintained a pretty close friendship."

"You must be very forgiving."

"I don't look at it that way. He was very open about his own weaknesses and understanding about the weaknesses of others. He taught me to be the same, so I never blamed him for being who he was. As a matter of fact, the only argument we ever had was over a wand."

Severus raised his brows in question.

"It was my first year of school, and my father had decided that I should inherit my mother's wand. Understand that after years of trying to live up to her image I was ready to break away, to be the witch that I was born to be, not just a shadow of my mother. Great Merlin, we fought for days! He got so angry toward the end that he even threatened to hex me." She let out a raucous laugh. "My own father!" She chuckled a bit longer as Severus eyed her carefully, judging her reaction to the drink. After a moment, she continued. "In the end, I relented. I decided that it wasn't worth the animosity my insistence was causing." 

"So, it was your mother's wand that you lost to Lucius?"

"Nope, my father's. Confusing, isn't it?" she giggled wildly, and Severus gave a tiny half-smile as he glanced down at his full goblet. Not knowing whether Alex would be the type to drink much, he had added a second, more powerful intoxicating agent to the wine, but it would seem that it hadn't been necessary after all.

"Your father's?" he prompted.

"My mother's wand was snapped when I was expelled from school, hence my great excitement over recently acquiring my own." At this, she clumsily pulled her wand from it's pocket on her trousers. Before she could even give it a wave, though, Severus snatched it from her hands, his eyes having suddenly flown wide. He knew from personal experience that wielding a wand when inebriated was potentially disastrous.

Severus refilled her glass as soon as it was empty, not waiting for a request. "And why were you expelled?"

Alex closed her eyes and shook her head slowly as if to clear it. There was something nagging her, a voice in her head warning her to stop babbling and start asking some questions of her own, but she had never really talked to anyone about her life. There had been no one to talk to, and she wanted very much to tell him everything, to confess and be forgiven by this solemn man in black.

"I was busted selling explosive potions to some wealthy, bored seniors." 

Severus raised an eyebrow. Volatile potions were among the most controlled magical items in the wizarding world. Even _he_ would have a hard time obtaining them. "Where did you acquire such things at that age?"

"An associate of my father's. He had asked me to make the arrangements for him because I had easy access to these customers." She scowled at her glass. "He was furious when I was caught."

Severus didn't care for the tone her voice was taking or the deep line etched between her brows as she took another long drink. "What did he do?"

"He was a very temperamental man, rigid, you know. My father had suggested the arrangement in the first place, once again getting me confused with my mother. Now _she_ was a great smuggler! Do you know she used to make exchanges of hundreds of thousands of galleons for cursed gems right outside the door of the damned Bureau of Magical Law Enforcement?" Alex threw her head back in laughter and Severus took the opportunity to refill the newly-emptied glass. Slowly, she quieted, gazing into his face with a suddenly grave expression. "But, I'm not her, Severus. I was only fifteen. I screwed up. I got caught, and he took the loss out on my Dad."

"He killed him?"

Alex nodded, staring into her glass once more.

Severus dreaded to ask the next question. "And what did you do?"

She spoke methodically. "I took my father's wand and his boot knife and tracked his killer to a run-down third floor apartment. I stacked the dumpsters in the alleyway, enchanted them so that they wouldn't fall, climbed up and squeezed through the bathroom vent. He was sleeping when I found him." Her bottom lip trembled a bit and she lowered her head further, a curtain of hair obscuring her face, her silence absolute. Severus was positively aching to reach out and run his hands through that mane, pull her body close to his, and smother her in kisses, but it would have to wait. This was the kind of information that he was certain Lucius would want. He needed to know everything she would tell him. Surely she would desire comfort after telling such an emotional tale. 

"Alex, what did you do?" he asked again, knowing the answer and hating it, but needing to hear it anyway. Even he, branded with the mark of the foulest wizard to ever live, had never taken a life in cold blood, much less at such a tender age.

She raised her head and gazed up at him, eyes glazed from the wine. "Nothing the son of a bitch didn't deserve. Then I took his delivery schedule, and his gold, and his merchandise, and his bag full of tricks." She swayed a bit, but steadied herself with a hand on his thigh. Severus took a long, deep breath. There was plenty of time for that later. _Patience_. "After I made his first drop successfully, the buyer spread the word to other buyers and I was well on my way to a new career. I made drops for a few years, then I was hired to make some ac--, acqui--," she irritably fumbled for the word, "--acquisitions, and that turned out to be where I excelled." She paused to lean closer, nuzzling his chin and brushing her lips against his face, just barely coherent enough to see that he was responding as color began rising to those customarily pale cheeks. "I learned that being small and quick and quiet are major advantages in slipping around guards and into unwarded crevices." She seemed to hesitate at the look of dissaproval in Severus' eyes. "There's no honor among thieves, you know. I did what I had to do. He took my life, I took his, a fair trade if ever there was one." She spoke the words evenly, but the hand holding her glass shook with emotion.

Severus slid the goblet from her fingers and gazed at the far wall silently for a while, not knowing exactly what to think of this information. She had all the best Slytherin qualities, ruthlessness, intelligence, and pragmatism. It was a shame that she was also a murderer. Or was she? Avenging her father's death was understandable, and his killer would have slaughtered her in a fair duel. Was it really anything he wouldn't have done in her place? He would have to tell Lucius, quickly. The Dark Lord would of course see the advantage in having an experienced thief in his pocket, thus giving him more reason to insist that Lucius leave her be.

His thoughts were interrupted by something falling heavily into his lap. Upon redirecting his gaze, he discovered that it was Alex's head. He sighed irritably. Damn. Perhaps an unaltered wine next time. Carefully, he lifted her head as he slid from his seat, then stooping to lift her petite form he carried her the short distance to her bed and laid her gently down atop the black satin. He would have simply levitated her, but his hands sought excuses to touch her instead. As he gazed down at her sleeping form, the memory of what had transpired between them in that bed began to burn in his mind, and he found himself deeply aroused at the thought of taking advantage of her intoxication. He seriously entertained the idea for several moments before he reminded himself that that was the kind of behavior he detested in Lucius Malfoy, acting on his more primitive urges, taking whatever he wanted without caring whether he had the consent of the other or not. The realization was enough to make him quickly put a safe distance between himself and the object of his desire, before he changed his mind.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The first thing Alex was aware of was a hammer striking her temples repeatedly. The second was that her mouth was full of a bitter-tasting cotton. It was, therefore, with great reluctance that she hesitantly opened her eyes. The room would have been pitch dark were it not for the single candle perched on a stunning silver candlestick, made in the likeness of two entwined serpents. Beside this, she spied a small, round bottle of golden liquid and a roll of parchment bearing a familiar green seal. This, she opened first.

__

Dear Alex,

I'm sorry that I was forced to leave, but I had business which had to be attended. I suspect that you are not feeling exceedingly well as you imbibed a bit too much wine this evening. The bottle beside this letter is filled with my own personal hangover cure. It should work wonders for the discomfort. 

I do not know if you recall all that you said to me this evening, therefore I shall remind you that you spoke of your father's demise, his associate's fate and your subsequent career as a dealer in acquisitioned goods. Allow me to assure you that I will hold this information in the strictest confidence, and I do not judge you for your decision as I am fairly certain that I would have done the same in your position. In what I am coming to learn is your typical manner, you managed to spin straw into gold that day. For this, I hold you in even higher regard. 

As to one other matter, I retrieved this candlestick from my quarters as I feared you would awaken in the night, confused and frightened. It lights itself in darkness and extinguishes when there is sufficient illumination. It is my desire that you consider it a gift.

I hope that I shall see you again soon. 

Sincerely,

Severus Snape

Alex wasted no time in swallowing the potion that Severus had left and in a matter of moments the hammer ceased to strike her temples, the fog lifted from her brain, and the nasty taste was replaced with the sweet flavor of honey. It also left a vigorous tingling in her skin that seem to completely revitalize her. Still, she wouldn't be completely herself until she had had a long, hot shower and she retired to the washroom to indulge. 

Once out, she headed straight for her desk, candlestick in hand, and began to write.

__

Dear Severus,

Once again, I find myself writing to apologize for my lack of basic civility. I cannot express to you how humiliated I am that I invited you for dinner in an effort to get to know you better and became inebriated before I even served the main course. I feel that I've made a complete ass out of myself, not that that's unusual. But, I also made a mockery of the feelings I wished to express to you. Can you ever forgive me?

May I also thank you for the lovely gift? It is a strange comfort to have something of yours in my home, particularly something so beautiful. I should also tell you that your hangover cure is a triumph. Not only did it rid me of all those horrid symptoms, but I feel better than I have in days. Bravo, Severus! You never cease to be an amazement, and I can only hope that this continues as I thoroughly enjoy wondering how you will next dazzle me.

As to whether I remember what I told you, I'm afraid I remember all too well; another remarkable side effect of your hangover cure, I suppose. I can only hope that you really do understand my reasons. I'm not ashamed of what I did, but I didn't mean to pile all of that on your head at once. I would have preferred to wait until we knew one another a little better.

I also remember being so close to you that I could feel the heat from your skin through your robes. I remember being fascinated watching your eyes fall into shadow as the light through the window began to fade into night. I remember struggling to concentrate because I wanted you so badly. As sweet as it was, perhaps next time you should leave the wine at home. 

Sincerely,

Alex

_____________________________________________________________________________________

Amsev: Thank you for reading and reviewing. I appreciate you_._

Snapekisser: I was thinking about your review on the way home from work tonight actually and berating myself for having not yet responded to it. I am toenail scum. I admit it. It meant a great deal to me. It was the first one to make me cry, but I really did appreciate it. Perhaps part of the reason I haven't responded is that I just don't quite know what to say, but I'll write you. I promise_._

Arwen78: I hope that dinner at Alex's doesn't disappoint you. I know it drags a bit, but it was necessary, I promise. And, you're right. A relationship with Severus that concerns his fellow Death Eaters (particularly Lucius Malfoy) is not destined to be 'hunky dory'. Keep reading, please.

_ _

Alynna Lis Eachann: Thank you so much for reading and reviewing. Subtle, hmmm? Thank goodness! Sometimes, I feel like I'm grabbing the reader by the front of her shirt and screaming in her face_._


	15. Chapter Fourteen

Chapter Fourteen

Monday morning Alex woke well before dawn and lay staring at her ceiling for a long, long time. This was it. Opening Day. She took several deep breaths and released them slowly, trying to rid herself of the quivering feeling around her heart. 

If this didn't work, she didn't know what she'd do. Money was no longer an issue, thank goodness, but riches did nothing to alleviate the boredom that she tended to feel after only a few hours of inactivity. 

Going back into 'the business' was a dreary prospect. It had been exciting, but she wasn't getting any younger. It was time for a change, time to let someone else do the dirty work, a fresh horse. She had no illusions about the likelihood of her amazing luck holding out, the majority of it having been spent in her encounter with Lucius Malfoy.

She sighed. 

Lucius. 

Damn. 

Not a mark on him. Or, at least, not that she'd seen. And, she'd been the last person to see him at all. According to Severus, Lucius had not been at the Ministry nor had he answered Snape's last letter. After three days, Dumbledore and his associates were getting uneasy. _Rightly so_, Alex thought with a secret smile. 

Her grudging respect for Malfoy was something she was learning to accept. She'd tried at first to fight it, reminding herself of the pain he had caused her, but it was no use. Her father's beliefs were too deeply engrained. She knew what Lucius was. She accepted him, respected him, and in a dark, shadowy corner of her heart, she absolutely adored him. Men born with silver spoons in their mouths just didn't turn out to be intelligent, powerful, driven wizards. More often than not they never grew up at all, consumed by the petty desires of youth, never needing to accept any responsibility. Malfoy was a fascinating exception to this rule. He had challenged her and lost, amazingly enough, yet he still proved himself the victor. He was out there somewhere, unscathed and unshaken, whereas she was forever scarred. 

Not only from the remnants of the wound on her leg which she had insisted on keeping; that was just a reminder to be more careful. The real damage was internal, unnoticeable to most, her new tendency to jump at shadows, the nervous habit of touching her wand just to assure herself that it was there, the constant nightmares which haunted the little sleep she managed to get, and the ceaseless search for activity to cover the nagging sense of self-doubt that had suddenly imposed itself on her character. 

But worse than any of this was the knowledge that she still wanted him. No. Strike that. She had wanted him when she first saw him at Nina's. This had surpassed desire and become an all-consuming obsession. It had become nearly impossible to focus on anything else. She even half suspected that her leaping into bed with Severus had something to do with the extreme frustration she was feeling. To have been so close to Malfoy only to experience the pain he could cause was maddening. If he could please half as well as he could torment---

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

There was no fanfare when she unlocked the door for business, flicking her wand at the new sign which now read 'Borgin's Curiosities' and causing it glow a vibrant shade of blue. She'd always loved the neon signs that decorated muggle shops and was thrilled to have her very own version. 

Unfortunately, no one was waiting to come in and buy up all of her inventory or sell her some exceptionally rare item from an ancient Egypt tomb. But, on the other hand and to her great delight, she did have quite a few customers. They wandered in and out all day, browsing, occasionally buying, most often just stopping by to size up the new owner. Most had heard rumors that Borgin's niece had bought the place, but they assumed that the stories about it's reopening were hearsay. They found that they were wrong, to their great delight.

As she had hoped, some of her uncle's suppliers came skulking in around midday, asking vague questions, offering second-rate items, and basically beating around the bush until they conversed with her enough to learn that this supplier knew that buyer who bought this or that particular item which had been acquired by Alex Borgin in the U.S. at point in the past. And, here she was, in person, anxiously waiting to pay top dollar for their hard-earned wares; a thief among her peers. Word passed swiftly in the back alleys of the magical world and before she closed the store, she had reestablished almost half of her uncle's connections and on much friendlier terms. All in all, it was a good day. Just before she closed, a welcome silhouette appeared in the doorway.

"Severus!" She rushed around the corner and into his waiting arms with an abruptness that would have gotten most people hexed to Hell and back, but they had established a solid understanding since the night she had passed out in his lap. He wanted her and she wanted him. Neither wanted the bondage of a relationship, or a mate who was constantly underfoot. The company was good. The sex was great (Severus had a knack for mixing extremes of pleasure and pain). And each had a healthy respect for the privacy of the other. They would deal with the details as they presented themselves. 

"Hello, Alex."

"I'm so glad you came, Severus."

"I thought you might want dinner."

"You are such an angel!" she gushed.

He scowled down at her. "You may keep your insults to yourself, Miss Borgin."

Alex laughed heartily as she turned off the sign. "Fair enough. Where are we going?"

"You choose."

"Harvest Moon?"

"That would be satisfactory."

"Great!" She smiled up at him to see that he was giving her that brows furrowed, appraising look that she had grown so fond of. "What?"

"You wore this the first time you and I were together."

She was indeed wearing the same emerald green blouse and long black vest, and had chosen it for today because of the pleasant memory attached to it. "You remember that? It was in pieces on the floor within an hour."

He arrogantly arched a brow as he reprimanded her. "I repaired the damage I caused."

"Oh, quite well. It's a wonder you didn't become a tailor." She gave him a wide smile.

He answered it with an infinitesimal narrowing of the eyes. "Very funny. And lest you begin to think I care one iota for fashion, allow me to assure you that the only reason I noticed was the synchronicity of your choice. Green and black are the colors of my house crest."

"Really?" She drew her wand and quickly restored the wards as they left the store.

Severus glanced down at her. "Yes. House Slytherin." He turned his attention to stairs ahead but not before she caught the flicker of a wry smile forming on his lips. "They suit you," he said softly. 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The Harvest Moon was a tiny café on the outskirts of Hogsmeade that Alex would have mistaken for just another homey cottage had Nina not enlightened her. It's stone walls were almost completely obscured by the thick ivy which grew in abundance up the sides and over the roof of building. Gracefully arched windows flickered from the hearth fire within, and the huge garden which surrounded the place was a testament to the freshness of their wares. 

Severus and Alex were silent as they secreted themselves away at a secluded table in a shadowy corner, and the latter let out a contented sigh as she stared dreamily into the hearth on the opposite wall. "I love England. I could stay here forever."

Severus arched a eyebrow. "Are you going somewhere?"

Alex smiled. "Who knows? I never dreamed I'd settle down, but despite the unpleasant events of my first few days, I'm really happy here. I'd like to stay."

"It strikes me as odd that you would think of leaving if you truly are enamored of the place."

"It's not that I'm actively planning to leave, though I do keep a bag packed just in case. Of course, I've always done that. It's just strange to think about having a home."

Severus returned his wineglass to the table with a thump, but his voice was as soft and even as ever when he spoke. "You are either lying outright to me, or you are not being honest with yourself. You _are_, in fact, thinking of leaving. You are considering running from Lucius Malfoy."

Alex sighed again, heavily this time. Lucius. "Yeah. I guess I am."

"Allow me to offer you a word of advice." He folded his hands sagely in front of his chin and leaned in slightly. "Do not."

"Excuse me?"

"Lucius Malfoy is a predator, Alex. Do you know what happens when you run from a predator?"

"Yes. They invariably give chase, but I'm not easy to catch, Severus."

"I've experienced the truth of that, personally. However, Lucius is older, more cunning, and certainly more vicious. He would find you, and when he did, he would feast on your suffering for a very long time for being such a nuisance." He took a dignified sip from his glass.

"And, if he comes after me here?"

Had Severus been able to choose, he would have kept Alex as far from this war, and as far from Lucius Malfoy as possible. However, like so many other aspects of his life, his choices in the matter were limited at best. Encourage her to cooperate with the Death Eaters and keep her here, or help her escape, losing his lover and possibly his life in the bargain. In the end, as it often did, his selfishness won out. "Lucius is a reasonable man. As I told you before, he has decided that you could be of more use to him alive than dead. Keep a civil tongue in our head when next you see him; sarcasm provokes him. Find a way to be of value to him and negotiate."

"You make it sound so simple. Is that how you handle him?" 

Severus' expression turned sour, and when he replied, it was with profound bitterness. "Whenever possible. However, unlike you, more lives than my own hinge on my relationship with the Dark Lord's favorite aristocrat. Because of that, I find myself in the supremely frustrating position of knowing that I am the better wizard, yet needing to yield to him for the time being. But, someday---" His knuckles turned white around the fragile-looking glass and Alex braced herself in anticipation of it's shattering in his grip.

As fortune would have it, the waitress chose that moment to return with two steaming plates of food. The delightful aroma caused Alex' mouth to water and her stomach to complain stridently that she had not had breakfast this morning. Thankfully, with the advent of dinner, her hunger eased and the conversation lightened.

"I assume that everything went well, today."

Alex sat a bit taller and her eyes lit up as she began to speak. "Oh, better than well. It was wonderful! Everyone seemed really pleased with the changes in the shop, I made some good sales, and my uncle's suppliers _finally_ decided to make their respective appearances."

"And?"

"And, we discovered that we have mutual business associates."

"Is that good?" Severus asked reservedly, but his insides were squirming, knowing that her safety depended on her connections and her ability to exploit them.

Alex laughed excitedly. "Of course it is. I've established clientele and a supplier base with hardly any effort at all. I couldn't have asked for a better situation. My reputation seems to have preceded me."

"Your reputation?"

"Sure. I happen to be a very reliable thief, thank you very much. I've never failed to deliver." She offered him a suggestive leer. "I'm really good at being bad." 

Severus smirked minutely as he felt her foot slide smoothly up his leg. "_That_ is a fact which I have noted."

"I hope so."

"So how is it one becomes a _reliable_ thief?"

"By knowing which jobs _not_ to take, and by never, ever, _ever_ choosing fight over flight. Basically, you avoid anything that moves until you have your prize in hand, and then you run like hell. It's pretty simple, really." Wind blown right out of her sails by the cynical glare she was receiving, Alex lowered her fork and began again. "Alright, Severus, the truth is that I've escaped by the skin of my teeth so many times that I've lost count. I have no idea how I survived that lifestyle as long as I did, and I am more than happy to leave it to the kiddies, at this point. I'm ready to kick back and let someone else risk their ass for a change." Alex chuckled as she took a forkful of potato. 

Severus swept the café apprehensively with his eyes, not joining in her mirth, as usual. 

"Severus, will you lighten up? What's bothering you?"

"Lucius," he responded softly.

"Oh, he'll turn up," she said lightly. "Maybe a vacation will make him forget that he wants to kill me."

He stared at her blankly. "Unlikely."

"Well then I guess I'll have to take your advice and figure a way to be of use to him."

"That would be wise."

Alex sipped her tea (she had again sworn off liquor) and scowled at her plate. "Can we talk about something else, please?"

"Certainly. We can talk about a tentative schedule for your lessons."

Alex shrugged. "If the shop's closed, I'm available. You're probably much busier than I am," she added. "What's good for you?"

"I'll need to establish your aptitude before deciding on the number of days I shall actually tutor you. I have already collected the standardized exams of imperative subjects for you. I shall, of course, need to be present when you take them."

Alex snorted. "Are you suggesting that I might cheat?"

She was not prepared when he answered calmly, "You have confessed to me that you are a smuggler of illegal goods _and_ a thief. I harbor no illusions about whether you are trustworthy." 

For a moment, all she could do was stare, her mouth agape.

"Do close your mouth, Miss Borgin. You give the distinct impression of a fish out of water." He picked up his fork again and resumed eating as if he had said nothing out of the ordinary.

_Actually_, Alex thought, _for Severus, that's pretty standard behavior_.

"So, you don't trust me at all?"

"No, I do not," he answered quietly.

"Severus, I traded something of great value for these lessons. Why would I cheat?"

Calmly, he placed his fork on his nearly empty plate and delicately touched his napkin to his lips, a supremely sensual gesture. "Alex, between your falling all over Lucius Malfoy and avidly pursuing _my_ participation in the blood sport you call sex on the second day of our acquaintance, you have proven to be no match for your more base desires. I have seen no indication that you can master temptation of any kind."

"I haven't betrayed you yet," she said defensively.

"You have not been given the opportunity, nor will you be."

"No? I'm sure I could buy my safety from Lucius with the information that you're a spy for Dumbledore." Ha! Let him stew on that!

Severus never batted an eye. "If I thought you were that stupid, you would be dead already."

Alex laughed aloud. "You would _kill_ me?"

His black eyes were devoid of emotion as he met her gaze unwaveringly and his whisper held a cold, lethal edge when he answered her. "Without a moment's hesitation, Miss Borgin."

Severus felt immense satisfaction in seeing the blood drain from his lover's face and a look of shock replace the snide smirk she'd been wearing a moment before. He was pleased as well to see that it was the only reply she could manage. _Good_, he thought, _trifle with me, woman, and you'll find that my retribution makes the few hours you spent with Lucius pale in comparison_. 


	16. Chapter Fifteen

Just a word on pronunciation: Annwn is pronounced-- Anoon. It's a Celtic term meaning Underworld which one reaches by navigating a labyrinth. 

Source: By Oak, Ash, and Thorn by D.J. Conway

Chapter Fifteen

__

Severus,

Pardon the lateness of my response to your recent letter, old friend, but I was in the United States on business. I am most pleased that you have gathered such a wealth of information on our new friend. I, as well, have been convinced that she is worthy of our time. 

I do not regret the discussion I had with her about the scroll, however, as it was necessary for her to learn proper respect for our ways. She will need the lesson if she is to get on well with our other associates. I'm sure that you've enjoyed your time with Miss Borgin, but I trust that you will remember your place, Severus. Soon I will find it necessary to return to Alexandria and convince her of my noble intentions, and I would hate to have to reiterate my point about allowing your personal feelings to interfere with our work. 

I would be pleased if you would grace Malfoy manor with your esteemed presence tonight. We can discuss all that we have discovered in our respective research. I shall be expecting you at seven o'clock sharp. Please do not keep me waiting.

Regards,

Lucius Malfoy

Severus ran a slender finger over his bottom lip. The level of warmth and charm in his letter could mean only one thing. Lucius was very pleased about something. He had discovered something of import, something to do with Alex. 

The veiled threat in the second paragraph meant that Lucius would take over in the way he deemed most effective now that he had returned, and he would expect Severus to stay out the way. _While that sanctimonious bastard steps in and takes what is mine_, he fumed. He had no doubt that Alex would take the bait. She would melt under Malfoy's touch like sealing wax in a flame, to be reformed as he chose. No doubt, his influence would turn his gregarious young lover into a cold-blooded monster just like the rest of the Death Eaters. He muttered a vicious oath. Would the Dark Lord eventually invite her to join their ranks as well? His stomach churned at the thought.

Still, he told himself, there was little choice in the matter. Alex would have to make her own decisions. There was an infinitesimal chance that she was stronger than she seemed.

__

Lucius,

I am pleased that you have returned home. We do indeed have much to discuss concerning Miss Borgin. Seven o'clock would be quite satisfactory. 

Allow me to assure you that I have had plenty of time to contemplate your lesson in personal attachments, and I understand it in no uncertain terms. I assure that I will never interfere with your plans again. 

S. Snape

The guilt didn't begin to reach him until well after the owl bearing his letter disappeared over the trees of the Forbidden Forest. No matter how forcefully he pushed it aside, it inevitably returned. This entire mess was his fault. Alex should never have even met Lucius Malfoy. If he'd done his job and gone with Malfoy to 'discuss' the scroll with the girl's uncle, he would still be alive, and Alex would be a safely anonymous thief across the ocean. Grading the final exams had been a convenient excuse to avoid another nauseating evening of watching Lucius involved in one of his favorite pastimes, crude torture. 

Severus pinched the bridge of his sharp nose. The trail of his guilt concerning Alex Borgin's present situation could be traced back to that first mistake. Dumbledore would say that compassion was never a mistake, but he was a fool. 

He turned back to the stairs leading from the owelry just as a gust of unseasonably frigid wind sliced through the air causing his robes to billow and whipping ebony hair about his pale face, but the wind was a blistering heat compared to the ice he forced through his veins now. Compassion had been his undoing on more than one occasion. Now, Alex would have to be sacrificed on the altar of his weakness, for the good of the Order.

__

So be it, he thought as he descended.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"You've done well, Severus," Malfoy purred as he seated himself opposite the potions master. "Though I must say that I envy you. You're assignment was an easy one. Miss Borgin's associates are not nearly as charming as she."

Severus did not wish to discuss Alex' charms at the moment. "What did you discover?"

Lucius sat forward in his chair, obviously excited. "I discovered that I nearly did away with a tremendous asset to our cause. Have you ever heard of Annwn of Salem?"

"The bank?"

"More heavily guarded than Gringott's. I established that myself." His eyes glinted mischievously. "Miss Borgin managed to break in when she was twenty-five."

"Excuse me?"

"Actually, allow me to amend that. She _walked_ in, casually." Lucius laughed heartily. Apparently, he found Alex's escapades to be thoroughly amusing. "Having altered her appearance with polyjuice, she simply strolled in and presented a key that she had stolen from her target, a local wizard of some stature. Apparently, he possessed a trove of amulets and rings locked away in Annwn, and Alex had been paid a generous sum of money to collect it."

"I assume she succeeded?"

"She shrank the contents, placed them in a backpack, and left as casually as she came. Unfortunately, before she was out of the lobby, the polyjuice began to wear off." Malfoy paused to refill his glass, broad shoulders shaking with mirth. "Her escape is the stuff of legend among her peers. Apparently, she darted around and _over_ guards while dodging curses, threw smoke pellets and vials filled with explosive potions, and caused enough havoc to cover her escape through a window and down an alleyway before they even saw her face."

Severus was beginning to feel justified in allying this girl with the Death Eaters. "Explosive potions? How many did she kill?"

Malfoy pursed his lips in displeasure. "None. The potions were diluted, meant to be a mere diversion, and she threw them only a short distance from herself, trusting in her dexterity to remove her from harm's way. As I suspected, she has no thirst for blood." His mouth split into a wicked grin. "Not yet. Leave that to me."

It was all Severus could do to match that smile, picturing Malfoy as he must have looked as he apparated at the feet of the Dark Lord the night he attacked Alex. _Some day_, _Lucius. The little monster who lived may get to be the end of our master, but you--are--mine_. 

His dark musings were interrupted by Malfoy's voice."Her other exploits are equally impressive, but not as grandiose."

"And your plans for Miss Borgin?"

"I'll leave that decision to our master. But, first, I'll need to repair our rather unfriendly relationship. Certainly one of the more pleasant aspects of my duties to our master is perfecting the art of diplomacy." He leaned back and smiled contentedly, clearly not dreading his next task. "So, how does she like it?"

Severus had no intention of discussing the intimate dealings between himself and Alex, least of all with Lucius Malfoy. He favored the man with what he knew to be his most irritating smirk. "I wasn't aware that you would require my carnal knowledge of the woman in order to seduce her properly. I thought you were experienced in these matters." 

"Severus, you know exactly how to wear out your welcome. Sometimes, I think you do it intentionally so that you can return to that cold dungeon of yours." 

"I do indeed have an experiment that requires my attention, Lucius. If we are quite finished here, I'll be on my way."

Lucius waved a casual hand. "Go. And let me assure you that by tomorrow night Alex Borgin will be begging to do whatever I ask of her."

Severus cringed. He had no doubt that it was true.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"This is pure, Transylvanian vampire blood. The oldest I've ever seen. Look at how viscous it is." Alex smiled brightly as she swirled the thick red solution in the vial. "Simon, I'm impressed. You've really outdone yourself. In fact, I know a potions master who'll likely give me top-galleon for a sample of this stuff."

"Then you'll meet my asking price?"

Alex pulled a stack of galleons from the register and placed them in front of the burly thief. His eyes lit up, but as he reached for it, she rapped his hand with her wand and added a few more galleons to the pile. "That's for giving me first crack at the purchase."

"You haven't done me wrong, yet, Miss Borgin."

"Simon, I told you, call me Alex. I hate being called Miss Borgin. It makes me feel ancient."

As her associate left, Alex checked the time. Wow! The day had really flown! Time to close up shop and get ready for her tutor. Hopefully, this time they would actually make it to the lessons. 

Since he had basically threatened her life at dinner a few nights ago, things had been a bit tense. Of course, tension had always translated into passion for Alex, and something had gotten into the potions master lately that made her first intimate encounter with him seem gentle and sweet. He had been like a dragon in bed the last few days. She bore some nasty bruises from last night's, what was it he had called it, 'blood sport?' It was fitting as one or both them drew blood every time they made love, and the more he hurt her, the happier she was with Severus Snape. 

Speaking of which, it was customary for him to show up a few minutes before she locked the door. Where was he? Rounding the counter, she noticed that she had left her sales ledger out and hadn't even logged her sale to Simon. Was she really that preoccupied today? She leaned over the counter with an exasperated sigh to grab her quill and began logging the item, it's cost, and the supplier.

She never noticed the shadow slip through the door and position itself directly behind her. "Hello, Alexandria."

Oh, no. Immediately, a ball of ice began to form in the pit of her stomach, her heart lurched in her chest, and her trembling hands dropped the quill she was working with. She took a slow steadying breath before she spun on her heel to face him, but hadn't correctly gauged his proximity and her hair tangled around one of the silver serpents which graced his coat. She yanked it free with a vengeance for betraying her, scowling at her enemy who was smiling graciously down at her as she massaged the sore patch of scalp behind her ear. "Why is it that every encounter with you causes me pain?" she spat. "How can I _not_ help you today?" 

As soon as the words escaped her lips, she regretted them. She was supposed to be offering him the exact opposite. Dumbledore's wards prevented Lucius from giving her so much as a thump on the nose while they were in this shop, but she couldn't stay in here forever, and hadn't Severus cautioned her to be civil when dealing with Malfoy? Her animosity was going to make bargaining damnably difficult.

He had answered her with only a raised brow, and she took advantage of the silence to assuage the damage she had already done. "I'm sorry, Mr. Malfoy," she began, but he held up a black-gloved hand before she could continue. The leather-clad hand not an inch from her lips holding just as much promise as peril was more than enough to keep her quiet.

"You're anger is understandable, Alexandria. I didn't intend to frighten you." His words were comforting and the voice which spoke them, warm, just as it had been at Nina's. But, a glance at that snake-headed walking stick reminded her that she was too well-acquainted with this man's formidable temper to trust him again so easily.

"Do you have some business you wish to transact, Mr. Malfoy? I was about to close for the evening." She spoke as evenly as she could considering the conflict of lust and panic that was building within her. Where the hell was Severus? 

"I've come bearing a peace offering."

Alex chuckled nervously. "Well, that's a relief."

Why was it so damn difficult to not stare at his mouth when he spoke? Of course her options offered no respite to her craving for him. She could stare at his hair, his perfect nose (hadn't Severus told her she'd broken it?), or his eyes. At the thought, her gaze finally rose to meet those tantalizing gray eyes and her knees nearly gave way. She wrenched her gaze back to his mouth. _Definitely don't look him in the eye, Alex_. 

"May I speak with you, then?" he asked gently.

Damn. He meant someplace more comfortable than the spot where he had nearly killed her. That meant she'd have to take him upstairs. She sure as hell wasn't leaving the protection of the building in his company.

"Perhaps you'd like to come upstairs?" she offered. 

His smile was genuine as he gestured toward the stairs with a genteel hand. "Lead the way, Madam."

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Silverfey: So glad I could intrigue you. Hope you enjoy the rest!

Fleur K: I'm happy that you're enjoying the story. As Severus and Lucius are characters that mean a great deal to me, it was my goal to keep them as close to canon as I could. I'm so proud that you like them! 

Maranna: I find that I make the most typos when I'm excited about something. If my story is exciting to you, I'll happily read all the typos you can make. I'm so pleased that you like the normalcy of the dinner. I've always been curious about what Severus is like in his dealings with other adults against whom he has no grudge. The poor guy never really gets a chance to be himself in the books. (No offense to my goddess, JKR)

Arwen: I'm glad that you see the necessity of this chapter. I was afraid it would be Alex overkill, but I just couldn't get around it. Intercepting owls en route seems so common in the wizarding world that it does seem wise to exercise caution when speaking of anything that isn't common knowledge. Of course, Lucius specifically asked Severus to gather information on Alex, and I think he's taking full advantage what could be interpreted as a license to be extremely friendly.

KitoraCrysta: You flatter me! Keep going. :-) I'm glad you're enjoying the story. It makes the writing much more fun.

Sylvan: You have been my light and inspiration. I can't believe you've put up with months of writer's block, working on no sleep, and constant babbling about Severus and Lucius. And, stop saying "I'll see you at work." You know it gives me Lucius yummies, and I lose the ability to think!


	17. Chapter Sixteen

Chapter Sixteen

It took all of Alex's willpower to keep from spilling tea all over his pristine white shirt as she served Lucius Malfoy. There wasn't a bit of her that wasn't trembling now as she tried to concentrate on anything except the fact that they were a few feet from her bed and he had already stripped himself of his coat, his waistcoat, and his gloves, complaining of unseasonable warmth. She could barely hear him speak over the warning bells in her head as she sat next to him, but not too closely, on he sofa. 

Lucius was perfectly calm, as always. One would think that he did this everyday. "I do thank you for seeing me on such short notice, Alexandria. I've been quite preoccupied with business since I returned home and this was the first moment I could spare. I hope it is not inconvenient."

"No. It isn't," she answered hesitantly. "I was expecting Severus when you arrived, but I suppose something came up." The warning bells grew louder, only to be drowned out by the sound of his voice and the fact that he was leaning into her as he spoke.

"Severus is often so involved with one experiment or another that he loses track of time. It's been his habit since childhood." His smile took her breath away. "He's quite the perfectionist."

"I've noticed that." Damn it all, how could he be so collected, so perfectly poised? 

"And _I_ have noticed that you refuse to look me in the eye. It's quite disturbing." Her glance shot up out of habit and she immediately looked away again, murmuring an apology. 

He placed a finger to her lips and the blood rushed to her cheeks. "Stop saying that. I have come to offer an apology to _you_."

Gently, she pushed his hand away. "You should." She was surprised at the sudden anger that surged within her. Frustrated, finally, at the casual comfort he seemed to have with her, and his ability to make her squirm, she slammed her cup down on the tray and sat back, putting a bit of distance between them. "And apologize to yourself while you're at it. You screwed both of us."

Gray eyes took on the glint of steel at her audacity, but her words had begun to gain momentum and they were out before she could stop them. 

"Why, Lucius?" she spat. "You're not stupid. You knew you had me. I would have given you whatever you wanted. I would have torn this place apart looking for your damned scroll! It's your own fault that it's gone. You attacked when it wasn't necessary, forced me to defend myself, I had to seek help from that sanctimonious old man from the school. Do you think I wanted to see such a rare item destroyed?" She was up and pacing angrily, now. "What the hell changed between Nina's and here in the course of a few hours? Was it something Severus said? What it something I did? Please explain to me why you insisted on doing things the hard way."

"Alexandria, I have no intention of explaining myself to you. It's not even your place to ask. But, understand this. Right or wrong, I was certain that you were lying to me. Thus, I perceived you as my enemy, and I show my enemies no mercy. Keep up this tirade, and I may return to my previous opinion." Despite the wards she knew to be in place, her eyes darted to the walking stick sitting within easy reach. 

Lucius was greatly enjoying her gradual loss of composure, and decided to top his threat with kindness, just to keep her off her guard. "I thought that perhaps this," he produced a small package seemingly from thin air, "would begin to make amends for my behavior."

Regaining her seat, she stared at the package as if it were a coiled cobra, unable to bring herself to touch it. "Come now, Alexandria. You have no reason to fear me---at least, not presently."

A tentative hand brought the package to her lap and she opened it delicately. The item she spied in the box caused her breath to hitch. "Lucius! This can't be real! I've never even seen one of these before."

"But, you know what it is?" 

She lifted the entwined gold off of the emerald pillow on which it lay. "Of course I do. It's a Celtic torque. If it's authentic, and I suspect that it is, it has to be at least 2000 year old." She closed her hands gently over the ends. "My gods, you can still feel the magic flowing from it. I'm overwhelmed." Her adoring gaze rose to meet his and lingered there. "Where did you get this?" 

Lucius smiled at her obvious delight. "It's part of a private collection of small treasures."

Her smile wavered. "I can't accept it."

His voice hardened almost imperceptibly. "You can and you will. I would be deeply offended were you to refuse it."

"Lucius, I don't know what to say."

"Allow me to be forthcoming with you, Alexandria. I think that you and I could enjoy a very positive relationship if you will only allow me to prove to you that, while I must be stern at times, I am not an evil man." The back of his hand brushed her face lightly as he lifted her hair behind her shoulder. "And that I have no desire to be your enemy." 

"What _do_ you desire of me, Lucius?" she asked in broken whisper. 

_Ah, you see, Severus, just as I told you_. "Tonight, I would fulfill _your_ desires, Alexandria." Strong hands delicately framed her face as he slowly brought his mouth to her own.

It gave her just enough time to consider what was happening. If he kissed her, if she felt those exquisite lips on hers, she knew she would be lost. With a groan of regret, she halted his progress, placing an unyielding hand on his chest, and praying that he wouldn't hold this against her.

"Alexandria?" 

She spoke slowly, daring her voice to crack. "I know this is crazy. I can't believe I'm saying no to you, but---I can't do this." Her gaze met his, no longer wavering, but resolute and in full command of herself. He did not retreat an inch, but held her with a questioning stare. "I'm not stupid, Lucius. You don't want me," she admitted regretfully, "at least not remotely as much as I want you."

Tenderly, she removed his hands from her face and released them almost immediately. Feeling her skin on his for any length of time, she knew, would shatter her resolve. "Do you know what I respect about you, Lucius?" 

His perplexed expression was her only reply. 

Alex pulled away until she reclined on the arm of the sofa, on leg cocked onto the cushions and an arm flung over the back. "I respect the fact that after you dropped your wand, you kept fighting. Do you know how few wizards will do that? Nine times out of ten, if you can disarm a wizard, you automatically have the upper hand. They seem---lost. But, not you. You didn't back down, damn near killed me without your primary weapon." She smiled in admiration. "You are a relentless, conniving, horrifyingly lethal man. You terrify me, Lucius, and I'm completely infatuated with you." 

His face was impassive, now, gray eyes completely unresponsive, but the slightest hint of a smirk played around his mouth. "You don't need to abase us both by seducing me. I hold you in the highest regard. It would be my great honor to be allied with you. Let me prove my value. I'm sure that we can come to an arrangement that will be mutually profitable. That's what I want from you, not a night of passion that I know in my heart was completely staged to win my compliance. You have that." Alex stood and made a bit of progress toward the stairs. "Your offer is more tempting than I can express to you, and I'm sure I'll regret this later, but not remotely as much as I'd regret allowing myself the exquisite pleasure of your company in my bed, tonight." 

"And, now, allow me to top all of that by begging you to leave before I humiliate myself by changing my mind." His smile widened gradually and finally located his eyes as he swept gracefully to his feet and crossed the room to his intended prey. Feral gaze never leaving hers, he placed the reptilian head of his walking stick none too gently at her throat and began tracing the front of her body with the cold metal. Her resolve began to crumble once more, the trembling in her voice, impossible to contain as she spoke. "Please, Lucius. We both know I'm no match for you. This is no way to reiterate the point."

The smile disappeared only a moment before he crushed his lips to hers, searing her with his heat. Mother of Merlin! Her entire body went up in flames in an instant! How could she have said no to this? A controlling arm wrapped around her waist and pulled her body to his as the other entwined itself in her hair, creating a vice from which she could not escape. 

His tongue plunged into her mouth and was welcomed enthusiastically by her own. Gods, yes! He was perfect. She could taste his power. Her heart was thundering in her ears as he invaded her mouth mercilessly, stealing her breath. She was vaguely aware of alternately moaning and whimpering as he began to map her body with hands that fairly crackled with magic. Damn, this man had to be the most powerful wizard she'd ever known. How had she escaped him? Soon, thoughts ceased to be coherent and she surrendered herself to instinct alone, frantically kneading his back with shaking hands and urgently melding her hips with his. His obvious arousal pushed her over the edge as she began to tear at his clothes. 

Then abruptly he stopped, grabbed her wrists in a steel grip and pulled away. Gods, she remembered that inflexible grasp, and half expected him to bring his wicked blade to bear. Her eyes searched out his own, questioning his motive. The fire she saw there was frightening. "Tell me that you want me to stop."

Her ragged gasps were subsiding by the time she comprehended his command. It was all she could do to choke out a short reply. "I can't." Anything to bring his mouth back to her own. There was no more fight left in her. She was conquered, crushed, devastated by this adversary. 

The smile was wicked and it cut through the haze of lust in an instant. "Another lesson for you, Alexandria. Do not forget it."

At that, he whispered words she could not hear and slipped directly through the floor. An instant later, she heard his boots lightly hit the stone below and followed the steady sound of his footsteps out the door. 

__________________________________________________________________________________

The breath left her lungs in a whoosh and once again, she found herself sitting on the cold stone floor, this time shaking with laughter for a very long time. The relief she felt at having that man out of her room was immeasurable! Once her legs stopped shaking, she would probably dance all night. She had done it, had said no to Lucius Malfoy. The last few minutes didn't count. That was clearly foul play. Ha! And Severus had said she didn't have any self-control.

Severus! She hoped that Malfoy had merely demanded that he steer clear of the shop. Surely he wouldn't have hurt him. Of course, the more she knew of Snape, the more she got the feeling that he was as formidable as Lucius in his own, subtle way. Hoping that Lucius hadn't decided to discuss the evening with Severus immediately, she conjured a quick fire and tossed in a handful of floo powder. 

"Severus Snape's study." 

There he was, casually reading a book, seemingly at peace with the universe. She drank in the sight happily before she spoke.

"Severus?" she called softly.

Only his eyes moved, darting to the fire with obvious apprehension.

"Severus, I have to see you. Can I come over, please?"

"I will come to you."

He rose with feline grace to his feet, and Alex stepped back from the fire. She waited only a moment before Severus stepped through the hearth. Curiously enough, the wards shivered as he appeared, but she'd worry about that later. For now, she wrapped her arms around her lover with a huge sigh of relief. His arms remained at his sides and there was no warmth in his words when he spoke.

"I was quite occupied, Miss Borgin. What did you need?"

Alex stepped back and met the pale wizard's eyes. The cold fury she saw in them gave her no more pause as to the source of the tremor in her wards.

"Severus, what is it?"

"I asked _you_ a question. Why did you disturb me?"

His tone at once burst her bubble and caused her blood to boil. "I _disturbed_ you to ask why the hell you completely disregarded our lesson today."

"I was otherwise occupied."

His cool demeanor set her temper to blazing. "Following Malfoy's orders to hide in your dungeon while he had his way with me, subdued and manipulated me with my own lust?"

"My 'orders' are none of your---" 

"The hell they're not!" she was shouting now. So much for that great feeling of satisfaction. "Could you not at least have warned me?"

"Would it have made a difference?"

"Of course it would have made a difference! I was terrified, Severus! I had no idea what he wanted! I can't believe you just sat back and did _nothing_! What the hell is the matter with you?"

The flicker of a sneer appeared at the corners of his mouth, and his voice was laced with scorn. "I was not aware that you lacked the ability to look after yourself. Perhaps you should have traded that scroll for a babysitt---" SLAP! 

"You cold-hearted son of a bitch!" She continued her tirade, infuriated by the lack of emotion in that pale, thin face even after she'd struck him. So, she did it again. Harder. She shouldn't have been surprised when his wand appeared in his hand, leveled at her heart.

"Miss Borgin, if you so much as lift your hand again, I will make certain that you regret it for a long time to come. There _are_ methods of getting around these wards, especially for one who helped to weave them, and I will not tolerate being assaulted, certainly not by you." He looked her up and down with open disgust before gesturing toward the sofa with his outstretched wand. "Have a seat."

For a just a moment, a spark of rebelliousness flickered, but her logical side took over before she could act, and she perched on the edge of the cushions, eyeing the potions master with trepidation. Seeing him angry was unnerving, somehow even more so than Lucius. _He_ was logical, could be reached with reason, but Severus seemed to have come a bit unhinged, and she waited in silence to see what he would do next.

"Understand, Miss Borgin, that I will do what I must to survive. I suggest you lean to do the same. Your problems with Malfoy are not my problems. The fact that he chose to bed you in order to win your loyalty should be considered a stroke of your renown luck. The tactics he takes with those who have less appeal are not nearly so pleasant. In short, Miss Borgin, you are now involved in the war you wanted no part of, and your side has been chosen for you. What you do at this point is of no consequence to me, unless you become an obstacle. I have been removed from the task of gathering information from you, and am no longer required to keep your company." He favored her with a rare, quirky smile. "Welcome to the ranks of unwilling warriors---_Alexandria_."

He turned back to the hearth, but a last spark of defiance in Alex wouldn't allow him the comfort of a peaceful retreat back to his dungeon. She stepped in path, hoping that her luck held. "Severus, you are not leaving."

"Get out of my way."

"Not until you've heard me out."

"If you think I'm interested in anything a Death Eater's whore has to say--"

Her hand twitched at her side, itching to knock the words from his mouth. "Severus, I am no one's whore. I don't know where you've gotten that---" Suddenly, her face lit up as if someone had cast a 'Lumos' spell behind her eyes.

"Severus Snape!" she whispered in awe. "You're _jealous_."

"That is completely ridiculous."

"Yes, it is. It's also incredibly flattering. Who would have thought that a man like you would be jealous over a nobody like me?"

"I don't have time for this."

"Of course, it makes sense," she mused. "Allowing your enemy to just step in and take what you perceive to be yours probably kills your pride."

With an imperceptible flick of his wrist, she was silenced, and found herself being flung back on to the sofa. "I like you much better this way, Miss Borgin. It's a shame the spell is temporary."

He stalked toward the hearth without another word and grabbed a handful of floo powder. Not even bothering to turn, he gave his parting shot. "You were an amusing distraction, Miss Borgin. I do hope Lord Malfoy likes it rough."

His robes billowed for a moment as he stepped into the hearth, and then he was gone. 

_____________________________________________________________________________________

Kitora Crysta: Ok, Ok, here's an update. Sheesh! You know how to guilt a girl into writing, don't you? Just kidding. I'm so flattered that you're excited about the story. I'm blushing over here.

Fluer K: Sorry about the cliffhanger. It's not intentional. I just stop where the guys tell me to stop. I take my orders from Severus and Lucius. Take it up with them! :-)

Snapekisser: Thanks for the review. I can't see Severus staying nice (well, nice for him, anyway) to anyone for too long, even if she's good in bed. He just has too much on his shoulders. And, yes. You seem to have a good feel for Alex's character.

Silverfey: I get the feeling that Lucius was in the US gathering info on our American shopkeeper. I'll ask him, just to be sure. Yeah, Alex is not the sharpest knife in the drawer. She's pretty trusting and way too forgiving, but give her a chance. She may surprise you. I know she's shocked me a few times. So glad you liked the escape. I can't tell if Alex is totally graceful or just really lucky. Thanks for your reviews. I've said it before, but they really mean a lot to me!


	18. Chapter Seventeen

Chapter Seventeen

Severus Snape was a patient man. Staring for hours, even days at a time into a cauldron was one of the most stimulating activities in the world to him. The meticulous cutting and grinding, contemplating the potions _within_ potions, understanding the exact behavior of each ingredient, sometimes hundreds in a complex brew, was necessary to achieving the level of proficiency that he had attained. 

Despite all of this, his patience with Alex Borgin had come to an abrupt halt. He could acknowledge his partial responsibility for the trouble she was in, but he would not be held responsible for her lack of ability to extricate herself. Since his last visit to Malfoy Manor, he had not been able to eradicate from his mind the picture of Alex's body entwined with Malfoy's; her voice rang in his ears, breathlessly moaning his rival's name. These had begun to burn inside him, driving him mad. She could use that lithe body to get herself out of this mess, and more power to her.

He would no longer be plagued with her. After the anger he had allowed himself to show tonight, she would be certain to despise him. Maybe now that he no longer had to be bothered with seeing her he could finally get some work done. It was time to lock her memory away in a remote corner of his mind and get on with his life---such as it was.

Lucius was expecting him in an hour to discuss his personal meeting with their master. Malfoy seemed to think it was a wonderful honor that the Dark Lord held private audience with him. Severus was quite happy to leave him to that privilege. The less he saw of that abomination, the better.

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Lucius was acting strangely for having just bedded an attractive woman. He seemed tense, distracted, almost angry; Severus would have to be careful tonight. He sat quietly and watched the man pace the room like a great cat, taking the measure of his mood. It was normal to need time to settle one's feelings after meeting with the Dark Lord. Severus had been known to spend days at a time staring at the ceiling from his reading chair, trying to quiet his mind. Their master specialized in causing disquiet, seemed to feed off of turmoil.

Finally, Malfoy took his customary seat and turned a wary glare on Snape. Severus began counting the measure of his breath to steady his nerves. Had they found him out? No. Voldemort himself would want to be present if that were the case. He would never allow someone else the pleasure of killing a turncoat, even Malfoy. _Relax_. His face a perfect mask, he met his old friend's gaze, determined to hold his peace until the other let him in on his thoughts. He didn't have long to wait. 

"Your lover is a difficult woman." Malfoy's tone was cold, carefully reserved. 

A single black brow raised. Maybe Lucius _didn't_ like it rough. Insipid weakling. "_Former_ lover. She's your charge, now. I have work to return to." 

"Ah, yes. Your---work." Idly, he toyed with an emerald ring on his hand. "How is your work coming?"

Severus was mystified. He had not come from his dungeon for idle chitchat about next year's lesson plan, and he'd never known Lucius to beat about the proverbial bush. He clenched his teeth to keep back the sharp retort that had formed on his tongue. "Lucius, I am anxious for word from our Master."

The fair-haired wizard rose from his chair and began pacing the room again. "Tell me what you know of Miss Borgin, on a---personal level." 

"That would take a great deal of telling. Is there something specific---"

"Severus, just start talking. Tell me everything."

It was a long tale, and he left nothing out, not even the slaying of her father's murderer. Keeping her secrets was no longer worth the risk of withholding information. Again, he found himself pushing aside remorse for his behavior. This was no time to wax sentimental about keeping promises. When he reached the end, both wizards kept their silence for several minutes, Severus with increasing discomfort, and Malfoy with the assimilation of new knowledge. Snape knew the glint in his eyes meant that he was feeling pleased about something. 

"Why didn't you tell me before that she had taken a life? I thought that the woman was too harmless for such tactics. Once again, it would seem that the Dark Lord has a better measure of Miss Borgin than I."

"Oh?"

"Our master has seen fit to invite our lady friend to join the ranks of the honored Death Eaters." Severus was suddenly very thankful that he had been too preoccupied to eat today as his stomach lurched at the thought. "However, as is customary, she will need to perform a small task to prove her worth."

"Such as?"

"As our Lord feels that her stealth and resourcefulness are perfect assets for an assassin, he has graced her with the task of killing Arthur Weasley. I had hoped for the pleasure of having his blood on _my_ hands, but it would, of course, be too suspicious. I'm certain Alexandria will be up to the task, and I will revel in being rid of that troublesome, muggle-loving fool."

Severus clamped his considerable will down on the need to roll his eyes. If he had to listen to one more speech about the sanctity of magical blood, he was going to drink his own poison. Instead he decided to try to gently coax some information out of Malfoy.

"I assume, then , that you were able to persuade Miss Borgin without any trouble?"

Lucius clenched his teeth and averted his eyes in obvious disgust. "That uncooperative witch had better be thankful that our master has plans for her," was the only response he would give. 

It was enough to cause Snape's blood to warm if only by a few degrees. He could easily ascertain what caused such animosity. Lucius may have had his way, but Alex had at least given him hell. Despite his best effort, he could not withhold a silent congratulations.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Alex was completely inconsolable. When she entered Nina's the next morning with baggy gym clothes and stringy, unwashed hair, the older witch rushed to her side. 

"Alex, dear, what happened?"

Alex let out a great sigh and pushed her mop-like hair out of her face. The circles under her eyes evidenced that she had not slept a wink. "I really don't want to talk about it, Nina."

"Of course you don't, my dear." She placed a strong arm around her shoulders and led her a corner booth in the back. "Now, you just relax here and I'll bring some strawberry muffins. They're just out of the ovens. Goodness, you're early!"

A minute later, the two were snuggled into the booth, Nina sitting across from Alex looking frightfully worried; and Alex looking simply frightful, with her hands wrapped around a mug of coffee and her head resting on the table between her arms. Occasionally, she brought a hand to her face to wipe away the tears that escaped her eyes. "I was really trying to do everything right, this time, Nina."

"Of course you were."

"I had a great first week, and then everything went straight to hell." She sniffled. "Sorry."

"I've heard worse from my own mouth, dear. You just let it out."

Alex was fighting hard to keep what little composure she had left. "I can't believe that I'm in trouble already. I flew straight, this time, I swear. I didn't ask for any of this."

"Can you tell me what happened, dearie?"

Alex sniffed again. "Not without involving you. It's not worth the risk. These people are dangerous." She raised her head to sip from her steaming mug. "I'm afraid I might have to leave, Nina."

"Oh, my dear, surely that won't be necessary. Whatever it is, we can set it right."

"I don't think so. I really love it here. It's the first place I've ever felt at home." Tears began to flow unchecked now, and Nina handed over the cloth napkin from the tray. 

"Is there anything I can do to help?"

"No. Nothing."

Nina leaned over and graced her friend's forehead with a kiss. "If there is anything at all that I can do to help you, my dear, you will come to me straightaway. Won't you??"

Alex sat back in her seat, vacant eyes not really seeing the food in front of her. Risking Nina's safety just wasn't an option. She was on her own. "Of course, Nina."

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The three broomsticks was more crowded than usual and that factored well into Alex's plans. She'd pulled herself together since her breakfast with Nina, at which she'd eaten nothing. Now, dressed and groomed, she waited in a back corner of the restaurant, looking up expectantly when a large shadow fell across her. "Hi, Simon," she began as the husky thief took the seat opposite her. "Look, I know it's short notice. I really appreciate this."

"It's no problem, Alex. What did you need?"

Alex took a deep breath before stating quietly, "I need a bag of tricks, subtle and quiet, but powerful." 

The big wizard's eyes widened momentarily before his usual expression of boredom was back in place. "Just can't stay away from the game, can you?"

Alex laughed lightly. "No, I guess I can't."

"Don't you go taking all the good marks from the locals, now. We're liable to get restless."

"Don't worry. This is a one-shot deal. But it's a really _big_ deal. I need some _good_ tricks, nothing short of magical miracles. Got it?"

"I got it."

"But, can you get it?"

"I can get it." He answered with a wide smile. "But, it's gonna cost ya."

"You just get the tricks. I'll be as fair as I've always been. Thief's honor."

Simon laughed heartily at that. "Oh, right. Honor. Got it."

"I gotta go, Simon. I have to open the shop back up. I'll need it as soon as possible. OK? This can't wait."

"Three days, tops."

She considered this for a moment. "Make it two and I'll double what it's worth. I'll see you."

With mutual nods, they parted.

Back at the shop, Alex sailed through the day, barely taking notice of anything she did, most of her mind occupied with getting her affairs settled for fight or flight. Shortly after she locked up, a handsome eagle owl deposited a letter on her counter. 

__

Dearest Alexandria,

Having had time to consider the offer you made last night, I find myself in the position of not being able to refuse. You make a good case for our association without liaison, and I am willing to accept your offer to prove yourself to me. Please access the floo network to Malfoy Manor tomorrow night at seven o'clock, and we can discuss the matter over a glass of red wine from my private stock.

Warmest regards,

Lucius Malfoy

"So, it's into the den of vipers, is it?" Alex smiled grimly as she tossed the letter into the hearth. Malfoy's owl was still sitting on her counter, preening as if it planned to stay all day. "Not leaving without a response, eh?" she placed a finger on the bird's chest to stroke it and received a sharp bite for her ministrations. "You're definitely Malfoy's bird. Come on upstairs. You can grab a few of Zepher's treats while he's out."

Sitting at her desk, she racked her brain to come up with a suitable response. 

__

Honored Lord Malfoy,

You flatter me with your invitation. I would be most pleased to visit your home and discuss an arrangement with you. Perhaps you'd allow me to view the private collection which my Celtic torque formerly occupied. As your good taste is obvious, I'd be fascinated to know what other items of interest you have acquired. Perhaps you'd be willing to barter a few? I shall arrive at seven sharp, as requested. Thank you for your consideration.

Sincerely, 

Alex Borgin

Seven o'clock could not get here fast enough. Alex had been dressed for two hours and pacing the floor nervously ever since. She had chosen to again cater to the pride of a former Slytherin (according to Severus) and select a tight, emerald green bodice and a black velvet split skirt. It was the closest most would ever come to seeing her in a dress. A pity Lucius would never know what it was costing her to wear this around him. She felt all-too-feminine under his gaze most of the time, and tonight, she would likely feel completely naked with her shoulders bared, hair pulled away from her face in a twist, and the newly-polished Celtic torque encircling her throat . But, if it would distract him from searching her mind for her future plans, then it would be worth the trouble.

Finally, after at least a hundred glances in the mirror, and the same number of safety checks for her wand which was tucked into a garter around her thigh, it was time to go. Tossing floo powder into the hearth, she spoke the words that would take her to Malfoy Manor, and with a prayer to whomever was listening, she was off.

_____________________________________________________________________________________

Snapekisser: Yes, Snape can really be a little monster when he wants to be. I feel a little sorry for him though as he really didn't mean for any of this to happen. Being a bastard is kind of a self-defense mechanism for him, I think. As for Lucius, I'm hoping to delve into his evil side a bit more deeply in coming chapters. So, his fineness will have to sustain your tolerance for his bad-boy nature. Sorry. Thanks for keeping up with things!

Siverfey: Hmm--- Kill Alex before seeing her with his hated rival. There's some possibility in that. He is as possessive as they come, but the last person he'll admit that to is himself. Yes. She kept the torque. I'm hoping to use it as a kick start in a couple of chapters. (sorry, baby spoiler)

arwen 78: Thank goodness?! Geez, I'd give my _eyes_ for a night with Lucius! I guess it would be a bad call on her part, right now, though. She had to put her foot down and prove that she had _some_ self-respect. I'm glad you liked Severus' reaction. I love to write him like that. You see him in a fury so often in the books that it seems a natural to let his temper flare. 

amsev: You love this story? That is music to my ears. That will keep me writing.

Fleur K: Yeah. I agree with you. I kinda felt sorry for Alex in Nina's diner in this chapter, but I can't have too much pity. Like I said, I'd give my eyes for either one of these guys!


	19. Chapter Eighteen

Chapter Eighteen

"Madam Borgin, I am honored to have you in my home."

Lucius Malfoy. Ridiculously powerful, supremely sexy, and dressed to kill. Alex sucked in her breath at the sight of him, casually wrapped in a stormy gray, silk shirt tucked neatly into flowing black trousers. The effect was at once simple and elegant, accentuating his fine build while leaving plenty to the imagination. Presently she was fighting to bring that imagination under her control while smiling in what she hoped to be an engaging manor. 

"Lord Malfoy. I'm pleased to be invited." She took his hand in her own and felt a tingle in her fingertips. His skin was cool and surprisingly soft. 

Gently, he released her, his fingers sliding slowly from hers, looking her up and down in admiration. "You look absolutely ravishing, this evening."

"I'm sure you know that flattery will get you everywhere, Mister Malfoy." 

The corners of his mouth turned up ever so slightly for a moment as he indicated a plush chair by the fire, _Severus' customary chair_, thought Malfoy, _another subordinate._ "Please have a seat."

Alex perched lightly on the edge, seemingly ready to run. "Thank you."

"I believe I promised you a drink."

"Yes, you did, and I should have indicated in my letter that I don't drink, but it slipped my mind." His smile faded as he tilted his head slightly to the side. "I'm sorry, Lucius. I have no head for wine, and you'll forgive me if I'm not entirely comfortable with you, as yet." Alex smiled up at the tall wizard, hoping that she hadn't offended him, but the stern look she was receiving indicated otherwise. Feeling the first stirrings of panic, she began checking for exits.

Lucius merely seated himself in the chair opposite her and flashed a stunning smile. "You don't trust me? Good. You should not. I quite understand, Miss Borgin. I must seem a monster to you." He lightly pressed his fingers together and placed them on his lips, a penitent gesture, and Alex smiled sweetly. She wasn't fooled in the slightest. _No more playing your game, Lucius_.

"You are a monster, Mister Malfoy," she responded flatly. "But, I'm more interested in your alliance than your character. What is it that I can do for you?"

"You do come right to the point, don't you?"

"There's really nothing else to say," she answered stiffly.

Lucius clenched his teeth, seething silently. Alex noticed this and ran a hand down her leg just to reassure herself that she had her wand, for what good it would do her. What the hell had she been thinking, coming here?

"I will answer your question in time. For now, I wish to show you the collection you asked to see."

Alex's spirits soared. She really had looked forward to this. If the pieces were half as amazing as the one he had given her, it would be worth the coming over. He rose with his usual grace and offered his arm gallantly to Alex. "Shall we?" She complied with as much composure as possible. _Stop finding excuses to touch me, damn it!_

The corridor he led her into was amazingly beautiful, lovely in it's ancient simplicity, and she told him as much.

"Thank you, Miss Borgin. This estate has belonged to my family for many generations, and is one of my most beloved treasures." He spoke with a sincerity that touched her, though such sentiment coming from him was unnerving. It painted him in a far too human light. She glided along on his arm, contemplating this new facet of her associate's personality. 

Lucius cleared his throat sternly as they approached a huge set of oaken doors, and at the sound they opened to allow them passage. "Do excuse my home's eccentricity, Miss Borgin. It occasionally needs reminding of it's duties." 

Alex laughed aloud at this. "Well, I'm deeply offended, Mister Malfoy. My doors obey me without fail."

"Do they?"

"Yes. When I push them, they open, and when I pull them, they close."

She glanced to the side and was relieved to see that he was smiling ever so slightly. He seemed so much more at ease walking around his manor than he did outside his home or even in his own parlor. He hadn't even brought the walking stick which sheathed his wand. _Home turf advantage_, she surmised, and locked the knowledge away for future reference. 

The room that they had entered was fairly small, and Alex's claustrophobic tendencies began to set off alarms in her head when the doors closed behind them, but these were easily forgotten as she surveyed the display of fine antiquities and curiosities before her. It was everything she had imagined and more; weapons, poisons (some of Severus' making, no doubt), wands, staves, gems, tomes---the items in one case were worth a small fortune in and of themselves. She lightly fingered a book of dark magic bearing symbols so obscure that she had no mental reference for them. 

"What do you think?" came the soft question behind her, causing her to start. His hand was immediately on her shoulder. "Calm yourself, Alexandria."

She answered the query honestly, her voice shaking slightly. "I'm overwhelmed. I never would have imagined---" she broke off in mid-sentence and turned to face him. "Are these all your own acquisitions or are they heirlooms?"

"A bit of both, actually," he answered, absently running his hands over a book cover. "Some of the books were penned by my ancestors, and were naturally passed down from father to son. Most of the other items were acquired over the years. All of them are pieces of the Malfoy family history, each one a treasured reminder of our noble heritage." 

Alex smiled gently up at him, observing the look of complete adoration on his face as his eyes took in the items in the room. This was fascinating, this profound attachment to his family, it was a feeling she had never known. 

Her smile was met with a quizzical gaze from Lucius. "Miss Borgin?"

"It's really beautiful to hear you express those feelings. Honestly, I didn't know you were capable."

"Of honoring my bloodline?" he asked incredulously.

"No, Lucius. Of loving your family."

"Ah," he responded quietly. "I do _not_ love my family. I honor them. Love is too great a hindrance to be taken seriously. It is a liability which cannot be allowed."

_Bullshit_, thought Alex. His actions toward her proved that he didn't love his wife, but his only son and heir was likely a different matter entirely. "I assume your son knows how to care for these treasures properly." 

His face shadowed. "He is only a boy, and doesn't yet understand their profound value. He will _learn_ to care for them in time."

"What's his name?" she asked casually, fingering a serpent pendant which was marred with what appeared to be blood.

"Draco."

"Draco," she echoed. "That's a fitting name for a child of yours. How old is he?"

"Why the sudden interest in my son, Miss Borgin?"

Before she could answer, her hand was wrenched away from the blade she was about to touch. It looked awfully familiar.

"You want to be careful with that, Madam. It's quite sharp." He picked it up delicately and presented it for her inspection. "Do you recognize it?" 

Alex shook her head.

"Well, it was dark. This the dagger that nearly took your life," he remarked casually. "The poison never fades from the blade." He smiled as he twirled it in dexterous fingers. "I would hate for you to have an accident."

Alex's temper rose a degree. "I didn't come here to listen to idle threats." Malfoy's eyes narrowed dangerously, and she plunged on. "I appreciate your showing me your collection. I see now that you would never barter any of these, and of course I understand why." She turned to look him in the eye. "Now, please answer my question. What can I do for you? And why are you so interested in procuring my assistance? Surely a man of your influence can align himself with better than a shop owner from Knockturn Alley. Is it my connections that you want? Another item from my shop? Let's settle this and get out of one another's lives."

"I'm afraid that things are a bit more complicated than that." He presented his arm to her yet again. "We can talk in the sitting room where it is more comfortable."

Placing her hand lightly on his arm, she proceeded with him down the hallway. "May I ask where your wife is, Mr. Malfoy?"

"Again, why the interest?"

"In this case, because I'd hate for her to see us arm in arm, get the wrong idea and hex us both."

At this, he chuckled lightly. "Narcissa, wield a wand for something other than cosmetic purposes? I fear she would break a sweat, and that would never do. You're perfectly safe, my dear." Upon reentering the sitting room, Alex fairly collapsed into her chair. The constant focus she had to maintain was extremely draining. Lucius took his seat opposite her and sat forward, quickly closing the distance between them.

"And, to answer your question, my darling wife is in Paris for the summer and Draco is visiting some friends, so we're all alone." 

Alex promptly sat back in her chair. She wasn't going to have to do _this_ again, surely? 

"Are you certain you won't reconsider that glass of wine?"

"Yes, I am, but don't let that stop you from indulging."

He smiled engagingly and sat back in his chair, allowing her to breathe freely again.. "Tea, then?"

She sighed in relief. "A cup of tea would be heavenly."

With a wave of his wand, there appeared a steaming pot of tea, a glass and bottle filled with wine so deep that it looked disturbingly like blood.

"Now, Miss Borgin," Lucius began, draining half his glass in one long draft, "to business."

_Finally_. "I wholeheartedly agree."

Lucius refilled his glass a moment later and began to explain. "I have something that I feel would interest you, Alexandria." 

Alex nearly sprayed him with tea from the laughter that suddenly bubbled up within her.

"Miss Borgin?"

She swallowed quickly. "Sorry," she continued to chuckle. Lucius had a great many things which interested her, most of them were under his clothes. "I just---never mind."

"No, I must insist."

"And I must disappoint you."

He looked away in disgust. Soon, after she had been properly indoctrinated, his master would allow him to educate her in the matter of her role as his inferior. But, for now---

"Very well, may I continue?"

"Please do."

"I have connections with many other powerful wizards and witches, one in particular whose attention you've caught."

"And, what could I have done that would be of any interest to these people?"

"We know about your father, Alexandria. We know what you did to his murderer, and we approve, I assure you."

"I'm sure you would," she began angrily. "Did Severus tell you this?"

Lucius silenced her with a raised hand. "I personally collected the story of your remarkable escape from Annwn. I have also researched the other, much less troublesome work you've done. We applaud your gifts, and want only to allow you to improve upon them." He leaned forward again and she shrank into the back of her chair. "Think of it, Alexandria, the freedom to practice your skills until they are perfected. We can give you that." 

She steadied her breathing and met his gaze with much more surety than she felt. Practice at thieving was the last thing she wanted. She wanted out. Why in the hell had she trusted Severus to keep her secrets? Allowing herself no show of outward emotion, a monumental task for her, she asked the essential question. "And, what do you want in return?"

He smiled kindly. "Indeed, we would ask you to perform a few minor tasks, one in particular as soon as possible. But, those tasks as well would assist you in improving your skills."

Alex closed her eyes to shut out Lucius and focus on her intuition. She didn't need to, really. She knew what this man was, knew the mark he no doubt had branded onto his forearm. She had seen Severus' often enough. Concentrating on her thoughts, she hadn't noticed that her eyes had opened and sought out the place on Lucius' arm where she knew the mark to be. 

He didn't miss the implication. "Ah, so Severus has let you in our secret, has he? How much has he told you, I wonder?"

"Nothing I hadn't figured out on my own." Why she felt the need to cover for the backstabbing bastard was beyond her. She knew that her next words would condemn her to immediate action, but she was sick to death of responding to them. It was time to take initiative and put them on the defensive for a change. Of course, she hadn't decided exactly what she was going to do, she'd have to do so---quickly. "I know that you're a Death Eater."

Never releasing her eyes, Lucius slowly pulled back the layer of cloth on his arm almost daring her to look down. Never one to back down from a challenge, she dropped her gaze. Alex had heard that the Dark Mark was considered to be repulsive in the extreme, an insult to decency, but as she stared down at it, she realized that it had never affected her in that way. In fact, she thought it to be quite beautiful, if a bit macabre. Maybe because she had first seen it glistening in the sweat on Severus' arm as they lay panting from their first passionate encounter. Quickly, she pushed aside the thought. This was no time for sentimentality.

Lucius interrupted her meditations. "It is a mark of great power."

"It's the brand of a slave," she returned steadily. "And you're asking me to enter into servitude with you."

"If your vision is truly that limited, then you are a waste of my time."

Alex panicked when she saw him reach for his wand. "No!" He halted, arm outstretched, a question in his eyes. "That's not necessary. " She buried her face in her hands, willing herself to awaken from this nightmare. "This is just a lot to assimilate. I need a little time." 

"To consider your options?"

"What option have you given me?" she retorted, head snapping back up to fix him with a heated glare.

"You _are_ rather in checkmate," he responded easily. "However, I am not an unreasonable man. I will give you a few days."

"Could you please clarify what you're asking me to do?" she asked humbly, still shaken by Malfoy's inclination to resort to violence at the slightest provocation.

"Ah, yes. We never reached that point, did we? I'm sure you have noticed that there are people in the world who do not possess your passion for self-preservation. One of these unwise creatures has chosen to be a nuisance to us." 

_More power to him_, thought Alex. 

"He has," Lucius continued, unaware of her defiant deliberations, "by his very actions, deprived himself of life. One of our number was to be chosen to eliminate him, but it would seem that the honor has been passed to you. A trial, if you will, to see if your reputation does you justice."

Alex stared at him blankly, frozen from the inside out. A robbery she had expected, a transport of illegal goods, maybe, but _murder_? That was _way_ out of her league and, truth be told, completely against the few ethics that she possessed. What the hell had she gotten herself into? 

"So, you want me to---"

"Kill him, Alexandria. End his life and take your place among the most powerful people in the world. We will rid the planet of muggles and rule those who remain. We, the strong, will preside over the weak, as it should be." 

He spoke with such passion that, for just a moment, she wavered. The power he wielded was enthralling and his proximity was beginning to affect her rationale. It was her disgust at being enslaved that won out, and in the end she had only one question worth asking.

"And, if I refuse?" she asked, trying not to sound as shaken as she felt. 

"My dear lady," he answered with his sweetest smile. "We would never take you against your will. It would be my great pleasure to repay you for all the trouble you've put me through. If you refuse, I have been assured that I will be free to do so."

Alex's eyes actually watered at the thought. Severus had told her that, according to her descriptions of the pain, Malfoy had not put much of his power behind the cruciatus curse the night he accosted her. With the full force of his considerable might, she wasn't sure she could maintain her sanity. No. She had no intention of allowing Malfoy to use her as target practice. She would have to concede the game, for now.

"I think you've given me enough to consider for tonight, Lucius. If you don't mind, I'll be going. It's getting late." 

"Of course. I understand." They rose in unison, and turned toward the hearth. Alex hesitated a moment, then turned back, drawing so close that she could feel his breath on her face. 

"Lucius," she began, placing a hand lightly on his arm.

He raised an elegant brow. "Alexandria?"

"I feel I owe you an apology for insulting you and your chosen alliance. It's not my habit to be impolite. Truly, your interest flatters me, as does your willingness to be completely honest. I truly appreciate it."

"That's a lovely speech, Alexandria. But, your appreciation does nothing to alleviate my reservations about your loyalty," he purred, unsheathing his wand.

Alex backed away. "Lucius, I swear---" 

"Unnecessarily often, yes." He closed in when her back hit the wall. "No need to demonstrate. This won't hurt a bit." Softly, he pressed the tip of his wand against her bottom lip and followed its lead, stopping only a breath from her face. "Your lips are sealed, Alexandria Borgin," he whispered. The wand flared to life, searing her lip like an ember, but only a moment before he brushed his own against the injury, the faintest whisper of a kiss, erasing the pain as if it had never been. She breathed a sigh a relief. She hadn't planned on telling anyone of their conversation anyway. There was no need for the spell which would, if she assumed correctly, kill her if she began to betrayed him to anyone. No problem.

Her relief was short-lived, however, as he claimed another kiss with a gentleness that was both frustrating and tantalizing. Again and again, he kissed her, barely allowing her a taste of him before briefly retreating. She assessed her options at first, trying to find an excuse to push him away. Of course, that would only invite his anger, and she needed him feeling as generous toward her as possible when she left. It was a good bet that the more convinced he was of her willingness to submit to him, the longer he would give her to decide on her course of action. Besides, the man was intoxicating, and it seemed she had been fighting her hunger for an eternity. Perhaps she could forgive herself this one night, in the interest of self-preservation, of course. 

As she deliberated, he continued the soft, methodical kisses, wand resting lightly on her throat, not as a threat, it seemed, just a reminder. Alex was rapidly running out of patience with this game. It wasn't long before she began wondering how much leverage she'd need to throw him to the floor and take him her way. Shaking hands began clawing at his sides, and with a hiss of pain, he removed them firmly and placed them on his waist where they unwillingly behaved themselves. 

Supple fingertips traced the curve of her neck and his tongue followed suit as she whispered his name in supplication. An instant later, she was scooped into his arms and deposited on the sofa. Straddling her thighs and effectively pinning her to the back, his body covered her own, and she was lost. Unhurried fingers worked loose the fastenings of her blouse as he explored her shoulders and throat with his mouth, and soon the fabric was lost somewhere behind her. For an agonizing moment, he sat back and contemplated her naked upper body as if it were on display at a museum. Finally, he returned to her, still just barely touching his lips to her own, and now delicately teasing her nipples with his fingertips, driving her mad with anticipation. Several times more, he pulled her hands, which had a mind of their own, away from his body, and stubbornly brought them to his waist. When she began unbuttoning his shirt, he drew her hands away in an unyielding grip and fixed her with an icy glare. "I see that subtlety is lost on you, Alexandria. You are a willful woman, and I can respect that, but in my home, and _especially_ in my bed, I am the master."

Alex stopped struggling against his immovable hands and allowed herself to melt under his gaze. She contemplated reminding him that they were not yet in his bed, but it seemed terribly unwise, and the will to fight him had vanished long ago. Besides, this could be fun. Dropping her eyes in submission, she murmured, "Yes, Lucius," and returned her hands to his trim waist.

"Don't move," he ordered softly. 

"Yes, Lucius."

More tiny kisses and gentle caresses followed for a very, very long time. Her mind was reeling with desire and her body aching for him, but she dared not move her hands. Somehow, she found herself beneath him, writhing from the searing heat of his mouth on her breast before she even realized what had happened. It took all of her will not to entangle her fingers in his hair and anchor him in place. The torment was quickly losing it's novelty. 

"Lucius, please, _please_ let me touch you." 

"Finally," he whispered in triumph. Lifting his noble head, he locked her in a fiery gaze. "I only wanted to hear you beg." He furrowed his brow a moment before adding, " I am rarely sated with a single glass of wine, or one of any other delicacy. Stay with me, tonight, Alexandria."

She was barely able to gather enough thoughts into words to agree. "Yes, Lucius. _Anything_."

He kissed her again, more eagerly this time, tongue pushing past her lips as she moaned into his mouth, finally able to taste him fully. Still, he broke away after only a few seconds, nuzzling her neck. "Anything I ask, Alexandria?" He subtly pressed his arousal against her thigh. "Is that your promise to me?"

Alex froze, she could tell by the sudden energy in the air that he was attempting to bait her into a binding contract. Her thoughts raced for a moment before Lucius hissed in pain. She mentally checked her hands which occasionally acted on their own, but they were innocent. Sitting upright, he grabbed his forearm with a grimace. 

"What is it?"

"I have to leave."

Alex's amber eyes widened in shock. "You what?!"

"I have to go _now_." Without another word, he rose from the sofa and grabbed his walking stick, already as cold as ice. "Go home, Alexandria. I will call for you soon. Have an answer ready when I do."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Fleur K: "The story still holds my interest." My happiness hangs on words like those. Thank you. 

Slate One: Good Lord, that review was a novel in and of itself. Wow! I suspect that the reason Alex offered her services was to buy herself a bit of time, but I could be wrong. And, you're right. He would probably find her if she ran. Severus? Just plain old act-on-impulse-when-you're-pissed, Severus, I guess. Hurt them before they hurt you. Everyone underestimates Dumbledore. It's part of his charm, I think. Will Alex ever meet the Dark Lord? I'm not gonna tell you _that_!!!! Concerning Annwn of Salem, as it has never been specified that Gringott's is the only wizarding bank, but it has been specified that wizards from different countries are extremely different, even competitive, I see no reason to believe that there is only one worldwide bank. A great deal of the way the wizarding world is run seems to mirror the muggle world, and in the muggle world there are many different banks, so I figured I'd take a little creative license. Hope it didn't upset you. I'll try to update as fast as I can to keep you reading. 

Rycca: I was so excited to see your review. I understand that you hadn't much to say. That's ok. You're right about the confidence thing, though. I've just made a mental note to check out "Connected." You hate Lucius?! But he's---ok, he's mean, nasty, and unforgivably self-serving, but he's so pretty!!! Snape _is_ a jealous "couillon"---love that word! I've even incorporated it into my daily vocab. It feels nice and spiteful rolling off the tongue.

Kytora Crysta: Oops! Again, sorry about the cliffhanger, it's not intentional. I personally think that she's wearing a dress to keep Lucius' mind on the carnal and off her real motives. I still suspect she's trying to buy some time, but who knows? Of course, she's also looking for the first opportunity to leap into bed with him, whether she admits it to herself or not. By the way, (sticks out bottom lip pitifully), where did you get a Sevvie plushie?! I want one!!! 


	20. Chapter Nineteen

Chapter Nineteen

Two hours later Alex sat on the floor in the center of her bedroom, drenched in sweat, breathing heavily, and feeling extraordinarily serene. The room around her looked as though she'd been dueling with a rabid dragon, and Zephyr was perched on top of her overturned desk looking terribly reproachful for a bird. Occasionally, he hooted softly as if to ask her if she was feeling better. For Alex, the past two hours had been a blur, an explosion of pent-up fury and pain. The humiliation she had felt at being ordered out of Malfoy manor, clutching her blouse to her chest had been the last straw; had caused a tiny fissure right down the center of her reason. And, sitting in the midst of chaos, noting her extreme calm, Alex knew that something had come close to snapping, had bent as far as it could go, but remained intact. The strain, though, had caused irreparable damage. 

She'd felt this way before, this freeing sense of calm had enveloped her on one previous occasion, right before she took her father's wand from his still-warm corpse. But, now she knew it for what it was, and denied it's persistent urges. Unlike her father's murderer, this Death Eater would not be dealt with easily. She'd need to think things through, assemble a plan and act quickly. 

Malfoy would be coming back for her soon.

She knew what her first step would have to be and wasn't looking forward to it. She loathed the idea and had been trying to talk herself out of it for the past ten minutes. She'd used every conceivable argument, but none of them held. Only one person had the information she needed, and she knew how to get it out of him. Tossing a handful of floo powder into the fire, she stuck her head in the flames. "Severus Snape's bedroom," she spoke carefully. _Here goes nothing_.

Ah, there he was, sleeping soundly in that big soft bed. The urge to leap out screaming and scare the hemlock out of him just for a much-needed laugh was intense, but she wasn't crazy. Severus was certain to have nasty wards set in place for unwelcome intruders. She sighed inwardly. Paranoia ruined so many great practical jokes. She opted for a tactic that seemed almost as fun.

Drawing in a huge breath, she shouted, "Severus Snape, wake up!"

Absolutely _priceless_ reaction. He was out of the bed, fully alert, wand extended as the last word died on her lips, and Alex was laughing merrily before she could stop herself. The potions master did not seem to share her amusement, and there was a lethal gleam in his eye as he stalked to fire. Alex couldn't help but notice his disheveled hair falling freely into his face, and black trousers hanging loosely from narrow hips. Damn shame he wanted nothing to do with her. 

Before he could free the scathing remark that was forming in his mouth, she spoke. "Severus, release whatever horrendous wards you have around this hearth. I'm coming over."

"It's the middle of the night, Miss Borgin. What the hell do you want?"

"To give you something I know _you_ want," she purred seductively.

Black eyes glittered dangerously. "I'm in no mood to play, Madam."

_Fine_. "Severus, I realize that for some unfathomable reason you're angry with me, but this is an emergency." Seeing that his stern expression hadn't wavered in the slightest, she shifted her tactic a bit. "I'm not asking you to rescue me, Severus. I want to talk to you about an even trade; two very rare items of mine for a little information, that's all."

Severus glanced up, apparently at a timepiece in the room. "It's three a.m."

"I know," she replied softly. "And, I'm out of time." The stern facade softened for just a moment, and Alex pounced on the opportunity. "_Please_, Sev."

Perhaps it was the involuntary crack in her voice as she whispered this last plea, but Snape's will to have nothing more to do with his former lover's inevitable downfall suddenly seemed less than vital to him. And, it was enough. With a few muttered words, the hearth was open and Alex stepped through. Instinctively, she moved forward, arms raised slightly as if to embrace him, but at the widening of his eyes, she stopped short and released a pained sigh. 

"Severus," she began, searching for the words that would wipe that cold look from his face and send him melting into her arms. But, she found none. _Push it aside, girl_, she thought. _There's work to be done_. Instead, she drew from her robes a small bottle of deep red liquid, the ancient vampire blood she'd bought from Simon, and held it out for his inspection.

Wordlessly, he took it from her outstretched hands, brows knitted together in that characteristic look of curiosity that betrayed his brilliance. Holding the vial up to the firelight, his eyes widened in surprise, and Alex smiled inwardly. He was interested in the first item. 

"Do you even know what this is, Miss Borgin?"

"Of course I do."

"How?"

"It's my job. I may not be formally schooled in magic, but I know magical treasure when I see it."

"This is indeed a treasure. You spoke of a trade?"

Alex released a breath she didn't know she'd been holding. This was it. "I need some information, Severus."

"Specifically?"

She moistened her lips, mouth already dry from nervousness. "Specifically, I need to know everything you know about Malfoy manor, Lucius, and Draco; their interests, their weaknesses, their daily habits. It's important that I know when they are customarily together. Do they eat dinner together, for instance? I need every detail you can dredge up."

Severus handed the bottle back to it's owner. "When was it that you took leave of your senses, Miss Borgin?" he asked lightly, brows arched almost playfully.

"Severus, my grip on reality is as firm as it's ever been. I need this information. Are you not willing to trade it for the blood?" She spoke in her best businesswoman's voice, coldly pleasant, and strictly professional.

"No, Miss Borgin, I am not." 

Damn. She hated playing her trump card so early in the game. _But_---

"How about for the blood and _this_?" She held out a familiar-looking scroll, sealed in emerald green wax, and he stared not at the scroll but at Alex, as if comprehending something for the first time.

"What?"

He hesitated a moment before answering her, not willing to admit that he suspected she had tricked Albus Dumbledore from day one, and had said nothing in the hope that he might still have a chance to obtain the instructions for the apparation potion. And, unless he was very much mistaken, this was it. She was prepared to just hand it over---for information that could get them both killed. Quite the quandary. 

"Is this---what I think it is?"

"Yes, it is." Confused by his hesitation, she pulled it back and slid it into a pocket. Maybe Severus was more loyal to Dumbledore's ideals than she thought. That wouldn't bode well for her.

Severus was staring now in rapt fascination at the pocket in which she had secreted the scroll. "Is that the only copy you made?"

"No."

"I want all the copies. Like Albus, I prefer to not have that fall into the wrong hands."

"You misunderstand. This is the original. The copy was what Albus destroyed. I only had time to make one."

He held out a pale hand, palm up. "May I?"

She hesitated but a moment. The time she had recently spent with Lucius had made her uncharacteristically paranoid. Severus was not a pillar of virtue, but neither was he a thief---like she was. The scroll was handed over and Severus opened it slowly, scanning it's contents with a learned eye. "This _is_ the original. The author was---," a stunned expression crossed his handsome face. "Hmmm---who would have known?"

"Who was it?" Alex's curiosity had been piqued by that look.

"No one you would know," he said briskly, tucking the scroll into a drawer on an ornate, desktop chest. "Shall we seal the bargain with the information you need?"

Alex broke into a grin. "It's a deal, then?"

He held out his hand again. "The blood, please."

"Damn. You remembered," she complained, reaching into a pocket to extract the first item.

Severus took a seat at his desk and drew up a chair opposite him for Alex. "Shall I dictate while you copy this down?"

"That would be fine."

"Write quickly. I've lost enough sleep already," he stated flatly. Then added, "What are you planning to do with this information, Miss Borgin?"

"Something supremely stupid."

"Whatever it is, it will fail. As I believe I have stated, you don't know him as I do."

"I learned all I needed to know tonight."

"What did you learn?"

She started to speak, but was immediately unable to breathe. Quickly, she pushed the words from her mind. Tough spell. She couldn't even tell Severus, who knew what Malfoy was.

"I can't really get into that, Severus."

"Oh, really?"

She smiled apologetically. "My lips are sealed."

For a moment, he looked ready to snap at her, then the truth seemed to occur to him. Apparently, he wasn't unfamiliar with the curse. "I see. Lucius never was a man to take chances. He clearly doesn't trust you."

"He shouldn't. Speaking of which, let's begin, shall we? Tell me everything you know."

It was a long speech, even Severus' clipped, cold version. But, in the end, Alex had two scrolls of parchment full of information on the aristocratic Death Eater, his home, and his son. "Is there anything else you can think of?"

"Miss Borgin, that's more than the man knows of himself." A thin black eyebrow raised to punctuate his next statement. "I suppose, as an ending note, I could tell you that he's looking for a maid. With his house-elf gone and his former maid sacked for stealing a few weeks past, he is beside himself for honest help at the manor. Rumors being what they are, few will work for him, even for the exorbitant sums he pays." His mouth bent itself into a charming half smile. "I suppose you could apply for the position. Do you cook?"

He meant it as a scathing joke, but Alex's eyes focused farther and farther away as he spoke, seeing something about which he could only speculate. He could almost hear the pages turning in her head, she was researching something in there. "I was joking, Miss Borgin."

"Yeah," she responded from miles away. "Of course you were." She seemed to bring herself back to the room slowly and gave him a piercing stare. "Did his house-elf die?"

"Dobby? No. He was given clothes. Lucius was tricked into doing so, actually, by a student of mine who has a soft spot for pests. Malfoy manor has been searching for reliable help since that day."

Her mind was still spinning, he could tell. It was deeply unnerving. "Do you think this student will know where the house-elf is?"

"Alex, is this line of questioning really necessary?"

"Yes, Severus. Now, how do I find out where that elf has gone?"

"He's here," Severus answered curtly.

"Call him." She added as an afterthought, "Please."

"You must be joking."

"Of course I'm not joking. I'm in too much danger to joke around."

"Fine. Anything to get you out of here."

"Get me out of here?" The quill snapped as she slammed it onto the desk. "I am so sick of this! What is wrong with you?! What the hell have I done to you for you to suddenly despise me?"

Severus turned his head away, casting his profile into sharp relief against the light of the fire. "This is an ineffective topic of conversation , Miss Borgin."

"Miss Borgin, Miss Borgin," Alex mimicked. "That's no way to talk to a woman whose body you once brought to climax so many times she passed out in your bed."

"Ancient history," he mumbled.

"Last week, Severus! What happened? We were good for each other."

"We were nothing to one another, but convenient company," he retorted. "I care no more for you than you did for me."

"Then, by your own definition, you cared for me at least a little." Hesitantly, she placed a hand on top of his. "As I did you. It wasn't just sex for me, Severus. I should have told you." At his skeptical glare, she gave an exasperated sigh and sat back. "Alright, at first it was, and who can blame me? You're an intriguing, handsome man. But, there's more there. A lot more than most people notice, I bet. I didn't even realize it until you pushed me away, but I do care about you, and I wanted so much to see if there could be an 'us'." 

His eyes, which had been staring blankly at the wall, snapped to attention, looking at once furious and terrified. "Oh, not like _that_, Severus. Marriage is a dead issue for both of us, I think, but I found myself wanting to spend time with you outside our respective bedrooms. I was really looking forward to learning magic from you, having dinner with you, seeing if you liked my lasagna, going to the bookstore together; stupid, trivial stuff."

"Rather like this drivel you're spouting presently," he stated dryly. 

Alex's heart flinched away from the verbal slap. No one had ever had as much capability to hurt her as he did. Lucius had caused her physical pain and more than a little humiliation, but this potions master could slice her to ribbons with a whisper. His words were a more effective weapon than Malfoy's wand. Compared to Severus Snape, dealing with Lucius was child's play. 

"Yeah, Sev, kind of like this drivel," she answered flatly. "Can you get the elf, please? I promise I'll leave you the hell alone after I talk to him."

For a moment, the slightest shadow of remorse passed over his face as he noted her pained expression, but it was gone in an instant, leaving Alex wondering if she'd actually seen it. _Wishful thinking, girl_, she thought as Dobby the house elf was summoned.

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Rycca: Pretty always counts, even with twisted little beasties like Lucius, but I can see where you're coming from. Poor little Sevvie-poo. My heart goes out to him. Don't give up, though. Maybe things will work out. Yes, I must thank you for adding 'couillon' to my vocabulary. My life is one step closer to being complete now that I have new swear word. :-) I'll keep writing. No worries. It's the strongest addiction I've ever known. I can't seem to stay away from the keyboard.

arwen 78: Poor Alex! Wait! Give her a chance before you resort to violence! The girl has more survival instinct than morality, so her actions are bound to seem a bit odd at times. She's also way out of her league and fairly thrown off because of it. She worries me sometimes, too. If she and Malfoy _are_ ever free from interruption, I'm going to die from the stress. Keep reading. Your reviews are a joy.

slate-one: Ok. Get your Webster's and turn to the definition of 'short.' Please note the difference between that and your review. Seriously, Slate-One, the opening of your review caused the only real laugh I've had in what has been a hellish day, so thank you! Now, a bit of advice: take a deep breath, let it out, do that four more times. Now repeat after me, "The story is far from over. I will not go off the deep end again." Better? Ok. Let's move on. As to your points: "Hem hem": I must stubbornly refute your first point. That was _not_ a cliffhanger! I finished the whole bloomin' scene! It was as long as two of my normal chapters. (Crosses arms in what she hopes is a Sev-like manner) I fail to see the cliff or anyone hanging from it, darn it! Yes. I have your hint. I'll tuck it away someplace safe, I promise. Remember that Alex had never heard of a Death Eater until a few weeks ago. She has fallen into this blindly with no clue as to what these people are capable of. Until recently, she's looked at her whole life as a risky game, and sees no reason to treat this any differently. As to your remarks about what _You_ would do, I'll just delicately remind you that you're not Alex and move on. For someone who claims to love my story, you seem awfully unhappy with it, and that bothers me. I hope that you don't continue to take such offense at what I have written, because Alex is what she is. Period. And, why do you think that keeping a scar would make a woman a "tramp?" That's kind of a twisted perspective, makes you sound like you need therapy. Hope you don't take any offense at my honesty. 


	21. Chapter Twenty

Chapter Twenty

"To a new ally," Lucius pronounced with satisfaction, holding his glass aloft. 

_She doesn't seem to be allied with either of us, _was the potion master's first thought. "To your success," intoned Severus, touching the fine goblet to his old friend's. The tinkling of crystal was lost on him, wounded as he was by having to look Malfoy in the eye so soon after he had likely taken Alex again. What had he done with her? Where had he touched her? Had her mouth tasted as much of his flesh as it had his own or had he dominated her, as was his custom? He had no understanding of the value of a lover like Alex. He could do nothing but corrupt her, break her, and destroy all that she was. Damn all nobles and their graces! Damn Lucius and his ability to enchant with a glance! Alex never stood a chance. 

Yet, she did seem to be doing something covert, something having to do with Lucius and his son. She had obviously not been completely won over. Of course, she would reveal nothing of her plans to Severus. He had torn away from her any reason to ever trust him again, practically shoving her into the hearth after she finished talking to Dobby, which she had insisted on doing in his office, out of earshot. And that ridiculous elf wasn't talking either. 

She was out of his life for good, no longer a distraction, no longer a liability, no longer a spark of exhilaration in an otherwise sullen and solitary life. But sharing her with Lucius was not an option.

"---to teach her how to take orders as well as you do, Severus." Snape snapped out of his reverie as he realized Lucius was speaking again. _Oh, shut up, you overstated, prosperously wealthy twit_. "She has to learn humility in the face of her superior, and I can't wait to teach her," Lucius added with a wicked grin.

_I'm sure she'll take to that like a cat to water_. "Has she not been respectful of you?" Severus questioned, realizing that he'd be expected to join in the conversation. "I feared her willful nature might be a problem."

"Oh, it's not a _problem_. I shall greatly enjoy breaking her." Lucius actually licked his lips at the thought. It was revolting. "She needs to learn that refusing me is not an option."

Snape's wandering attention was refocused in an instant. '_Refusing you?'_ How to ask delicately? "I wasn't aware that she had the capacity."

Lucius sat back with a scowl. "Neither was I. It was my own doing, though I can hardly believe I'm admitting it. I moved too quickly."

"And she said 'no?'"

"She said 'no.' I made certain to give her a lesson in respect before I left, though I wish now that I had just taken her and been done with it. I had planned to consummate our alliance last night and bend her to my will at last. Our master's timing was--- unfortunate."

Severus experienced the complicated shift from elation to horror to regret and back to elation in the blink of an eye. Though his disciplined expression never changed, his mind was reeling from the shock. Lucius had never actually taken her. Why that was so important, why it left him feeling so vindicated, he didn't know and didn't wish to guess. His revulsion at having the taint of a man like Lucius on his lover was illogical; nevertheless, it had been the deciding factor in his decision to remove her completely from his life. Of course, that wouldn't matter to her. His last chance had passed this morning. She wouldn't be coming back.

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"Simon, you've really outdone yourself. I'm completely overwhelmed." Alex passed her associate a bulging bag of gold and he weighed it with an expert hand. 

"That's quite a bit more than twice the price, Miss Borgin," he said, pocketing the payment. "Thank you." 

"You're worth it."

"And, you're desperate. I can see it in your eyes." He leaned in a bit closer, bringing with him the smell of clean sweat. "Is there anything I can do to help you?"

"You've helped enough, Simon. These tricks are going to save my life, especially this," she said, lovingly fingering the bottle of black liquid in her hand. "I don't think I would've thought of this. It'll make things much more simple."

"Well, that's what tricks are for."

Alex stood and wrapped her surprised associate in a quick hug. "Thanks, Simon." She released him and stepped back. "I'd better start getting ready." He nodded and began to leave. "Wish me luck on my last great heist!"

Turning back, he gave her an curious look. "So, you're really out after this? You're going to walk away from the thrill?"

"Simon, I've had enough thrill these past few weeks to last me a lifetime. After this, I'm most definitely out."

He nodded his great head. "Good luck, then."

He was out of earshot when she whispered a "thanks," still contemplating the bottle in her hand. 

"Alex." The voice came from behind her and she nearly dropped the precious container in shock, but her hand closed instinctively around it before it slipped from her fingers. She did not bother concealing her anger when she turned to find Severus Snape's head in her fire. After the hell he'd put her through, if he had caused her to drop that bottle--- 

"You chose a hell of a time to show up, Severus. I'm leaving in a few minutes. Whatever it is, it'll have to wait."

He seemed completely unperturbed by the brusque treatment. "I won't keep you. I merely wanted to give you this." A tiny bottle was held out through the flames, and Alex took it from his long fingers, noting that it was filled with a crystal-clear liquid. 

"What is this?"

"It is my most potent poison. Death comes instantly for the one who consumes it."

"Are you suggesting I poison someone?"

"I'm suggesting you drink it if your plan fails."

"What??!!"

"Let the Death Eaters have their way with you for a single day, and you'd beg me for it." His voice took on an uncharacteristic tone of gentleness. "Whatever your endeavor, I hope that you succeed. If you do not, drink the potion. It's completely painless. Do not let Malfoy take you alive."

Instantly, her anger dissolved into the haze of an unfamiliar emotion. _He knew_. She gave him a small smile that didn't reach her frightened eyes. "That bad huh?"

"Worse than you have ever imagined, I'm certain. The Dark Lord, in particular, will not appreciate your betrayal." Black eyes darted to the side for a moment. "I have to go."

In an instant, the flames were empty once more. Alex placed the bottle on a table, trying not to think about the risk she was taking, and unable to put aside the one thought that bubbled up over all the others. _He cares_.

That was a few minutes shaved off of her schedule, though. She'd have to move quickly, now. According to the information she received from Dobby, Draco and his father always dined together in the manor on the weekends at seven sharp. She checked the clock and forced her breath to remain steady. 

Five thirty. Now or never. 

She slipped out of her clothes and into a loose-fitting ensemble of black trousers and shirt. From the bag that Simon had brought, she produced a pair of lightweight boots. Slipping into them, she noticed that they automatically conformed to the shape of her feet, just as Simon had said they would. Tentatively, she stepped out across the stone floor. Complete silence even when stepping heavily. _Thank you, Simon_! 

She slipped her wand into the specially-fitted pocket on the thigh. Once in place, it could only be removed by her own hand. After her hair was pulled into a tight braid, she began packing the few supplies she'd need into her pockets. Traditional-looking lock picks enchanted to slide easily into and around the most stubborn lock. They also cast a red glow if the lock was poisoned or otherwise trapped. Next, a potion which briefly enhanced speed and stamina, a standard with most thieves; you never knew when you'd have to run like hell. As she was really bad at apparating, especially when hurried, this was a necessity for Alex. Gloves enchanted to grip any surface went into the back pocket. A red-sealed scroll was tucked carefully, with shaking hands, into the empty left pocket. A few smoke pellets designed to choke, but not poison, a dagger coated in an instant sleeping draught on her belt (_thanks for the tip, Malfoy_), two plain silver rings, and most importantly, the tiny black bottle and it's green companion. After a moment of absolute dread, she added Severus' gift, a silent acknowledgement of how nasty this could get.

She wiped the sweat from her face with an equally damp hand, availing her little. Calm down, Alex. It's no different from any other job. Relax. But, it was no use. She was a complete wreck. _Just get going, girl. It's the anticipation that's killing you_. Hoping her own advice could be trusted, she concentrated on the directions Dobby had given her and disapparated with a _crack_.

Instantly, she was on high-alert, wand out, crouched down and taking in every detail. Or, at least, that was how she pictured herself. Truthfully, her wand was about to fall from nerveless fingers, she was crouched out of habit, and her breath was more like a pant in her ears. _OK, girl. You took on this man when the advantage was completely his and survived. He's off-guard, possibly unarmed, and in the company of his greatest weakness. Now, get going_!

The cave was exactly where Dobby said it would be, just a few feet ahead and almost completely concealed by a huge oak. There was just enough room for a house elf , or a really small woman. Even so, it was a tight squeeze. Chuckling as she wedged her body into the gap, she made a mental note to go easy on Nina's muffins. Of course, she might never see Nina again or Simon--- or Severus.

Severus Snape. There was just no figuring that man. One minute, he despised you, the next minute he had his tongue down your throat. Now, he's suggesting that I poison myself, and I can't help but be flattered. I doubt that he'd give the means for a painless suicide to someone he cared nothing for. She sighed, picking her way through thick cobwebs and over roots, wand held out before her, illuminating the path. Obviously this passage hadn't been used in quite some time. That was a good sign, another point for Dobby. He really was the only one who knew of this tunnel. If she survived this, she planned to buy him more socks than he could wear in a lifetime. 

After what she calculated was about an hour of a steady ascent, she realized that she had grown completely calm and focused on the task ahead. It was a welcome insight, and came just as she rounded a corner to be met by a stone wall with an opening even smaller than the one behind the tree, barely more than a crack. Alex rolled her eyes. Dobby had underestimated her size. Damn.

Never one to give up easily, though, she immediately began struggling to pull out the stones surrounding the hole, and as her notorious luck would have it, a few on the bottom and sides shifted. She had pried them loose in just a few minutes. _So far, so good. Almost into the manor with only a bruised finger and a few scraped knuckles_. _You're doing fine, Alex_. 

It took some maneuvering, still, to manage to slide between the wall and the crates in front of it. Holding her breath and wriggling like an eel, she just managed to work her way to the end of them and fully into the damp cellar where she paused to whisper a quick cleansing spell. It was going to be hard enough, facing Lucius. She'd be damned if she'd do so looking like something the cat dragged in. 

Eyes scanning the room, she noted that it was exactly as Dobby had described it, unchanged in the two years he had been gone.. The lack of commotion ensured that he had also been right about this room being unwarded. The kitchen would be up the spiral staircase, three doors down on the left. She checked her watch; quarter to seven. Perfect.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Leanne had been chosen to serve in the Malfoy household for her physical attributes rather than her domestic ability, she realized. With the mistress of the house away, Mr. Malfoy was certain to become restless for companionship, and it would be her duty and pleasure to serve him upon request. After all, when she returned to her friends with the news that she had been taken into the bed of the most handsome nobleman in England, she would be the envy of all of them. Until then, she had duties to tend to which were not so pleasant. Cooking dinner and serving it for Lucius and that brat of a son was one of them. Lucius' wandering hands she didn't mind in the least, but if she had to fend off that boy-child one more time, she might just be forced to---

She never finished the thought, instead falling limply into the arms of Alex Borgin. 

_Nice work_, Alex thought, returning the blade to it's sheath. _I barely nicked her_. Dragging the maid to the wall and sliding the kitchen island in front of her sleeping form, she slid the silver rings from her pocket, fitting one over the inert girl's finger, and the other over her own. The change was instantaneous, uncomfortable, and more than a little disturbing as she stared down at her likeness, now limp on the cold floor. _So, that's what I'll look like when I'm dead_, she mused, and violently shoved the thought from her mind before it could make her ill. 

Rising quickly, she nearly overbalanced from the weight of her now-ample bosom, and staring down at the cumbersome, rounded protrusions, she wondered how she could have ever envied well-defined women. These were the most awkward things she'd ever had to deal with. Were they even real? She was tempted to check since she had such convenient access to the body, but decided that it was just too weird. She may occupy the maid's body, but that didn't make it hers. 

The drinks and food were thankfully already laid out on a tray, no more preparation was required. Just one last ingredient to make everything complete. The red wine was Lucius' and the pumpkin juice of course belonged to Draco. "Sorry about this, kiddo," she mumbled with genuine regret as she emptied the black liquid into the glass, and watched as it disappeared into the juice without a trace. With one last deep breath, Alex lifted the tray and sauntered into the dining room where Lucius and his child were waiting. 

_____________________________________________________________________________________

PPP(): I'm so happy that you're enjoying the story, and I'm relieved that you see where Alex is coming from. Lucius and Severus are just too tempting to be allowed!

Intel Ewok(): I'm thrilled to hear that my story isn't cliché! I've read some really good 'Severus settles down for life' stories, but they're difficult for me to fathom. I love the fantasy while it's there on the screen. It's wonderfully romantic, but I just don't buy it. Keep reading.

Rycca: That was the sweetest beginning to a review I've ever seen! I'm still glowing! And, I love your drivel. Poor Sevvie! Don't slap him. He's hurt, he's confused, and he's a complete ass by nature (ok, maybe just a little slap for that). None of these things can be helped. As for Dobby, I've always wondered why more people don't ask for his help concerning Malfoy. Maybe Hermione's right, and no one has any consideration for house-elves, even when it would be to their advantage. I'm thrilled that you're enjoying the story, still. I check every night to see if you've reposted chapters 20 & 21 on your fantastic work, but alas! not yet. I wait with abated breath.

silverfey: Alex _is_ very childlike. Sadly enough, it's the only thing she has in common with your truly. If you're unsure, allow me to assure you that you LOVE Lucius, you adore him, you want to join the dark side just for his sake---- OK. Sorry. Enough of that. It's a bad habit. And yes. I'm very serious about a Sevvie plushie!!! Oh, the desire! The ache! Do you know where I can get one?

Fleur K: Hi, again! I feel for Severus, too. The poor guy really has a tough time of things. I think of him every time I listen to the song 'Please, Please, Please, Let Me Get What I Want' by The Smiths. It's like Severus' theme song! Or, at least it is when I'm writing. I agree that Lucius is sexy, too sexy to be real. Sometimes, I don't believe my own eyes. I'm glad you're still reading. Thank you!

Slate One: If you're out there, I'm sorry if I was too hard you. I was offended because one of your remarks was uncalled for and hit _way_ too close to home. I realize now that you couldn't have known how it would hurt me. Miss you. By the way, this one is a 'cliffie,' but I'm not sorry. 


	22. Chapter Twentyone

Chapter Twenty-one

"You're late," was the stern reprimand that greeted her as she entered the room. 

Biting back the sharp retort that formed on her tongue, Alex reminded herself that she was a servant in an aristocratic household. "Beg your pardon, Milord," she replied, feeling a bit strange at the sound of someone else's voice coming from her mouth. Of course, she reminded herself, the perfectly pouting mouth wasn't hers, either--- unfortunately. 

Still adjusting to the new height, she attempted to sashay across the room, but wound up looking like a drunk fighting to keep her feet. Combating the heat that rose to her face as Malfoy leered, she placed his dinner in front of him, thanking her good fortune that the table had been previously set. She would never have remembered what fork went where. She allowed herself to hover for just a moment as his gaze passed appreciatively over her hips and slid down her shapely legs. After all, distraction could only help her, now.

Turning to serve the younger Malfoy and getting her first look at him, she was immediately struck by how similar they were. This was definitely carefully-planned genetics. From his lovely pale hair to his angelic complexion, he was the spitting image of his father, a pure-blood Malfoy. When he sneered at her curious look, she knew he was his father's son, through and through. It was almost cute, like being growled at by a tiger cub. The lustful gaze he directed at her as she served him however was anything but welcome. _Knock it off, kid. I'm almost old enough to be your mother, _she thought. Trying to hide the tremble in her hands, she placed his pumpkin juice down at last, and backed away as if from a poisonous snake. There was no turning back now, she realized. For better or worse, in a few minutes it would all be over. 

Taking the tray, she stepped back further as they began to eat while chatting amiably. Hoping that it was customary to stay until she was needed, she backed inconspicuously to the wall. They talked of simple things, casually, just as any father and son would. Lucius was a bit more stern than her own father had been, but that wasn't unexpected. It was obvious as they discussed Draco's interest in potions that the father was proud of his boy's intelligence, quizzing him on ingredients and, not surprisingly, poisons and their antidotes. _How synchronistic_, she thought, heart pounding in her ears. In that moment, Draco took a long gulp of the tainted pumpkin juice, nearly draining the glass. Alex winced. _I'm so sorry, kid_. 

Immediately, the boy began to choke, lightly at first, then more violently, his body shuddering from the pain she knew the potion caused. Lucius was at his side in a heartbeat, calling his name and checking his eyes. What he saw there caused him to give way to a rare moment of panic, wild eyes searching frantically for his wand, which had curiously disappeared, while he tried to reassure his son. "It's alright, Draco. Stay calm. I'll summon a medi-wizard." 

Wide eyes landed on their prize, his snake-headed wand--- swinging from the hand of Alex Borgin. She was forced to admit to herself that it was a great pleasure to see the egotistical terror speechless, even at the expense of his son's comfort. "Hello, Lucius," she said, holding up the small bottle of green liquid with a regretful smile.

"Damn you, woman! What have you done to him?" With terrifying speed, Lucius rounded the table, and was almost on top of her before she could react. Making sure that he saw the motion, she drew back the bottle as if to throw it while stepping back from the furious wizard, putting as much distance between them as the room would allow. "I doubt he can lick it from the wall, Lucius, and without it, he dies." He halted abruptly, eyes searching, looking for all the world as if he was judging the distance for a tackle. "Back up," she ordered as forcefully as she could manage. 

The deadly wizard retreated a single step and lifted his hands ever so slightly, not in supplication, not in surrender, but close enough to both to make it obvious that he understood his position perfectly. Alex sighed inwardly. That would make things much easier. 

The temptation to press her obvious advantage was strong, stronger than she cared to admit to herself. In that moment, she saw what she had passed up in deciding to turn away from the Death Eaters. 

Power. 

Power so intoxicating that she nearly reeled washed over her in a black wave. She could demand anything of Malfoy right now, anything whatsoever; his authority, his position, even his life. His love for his son, his greatest weakness, was clear in those gray eyes. He would grant her anything to save him. For half a breath, she teetered on the knife's edge, then placed her feet firmly on the other side. The power was tempting, but the price far exceeded it's value. 

She dared not speak for fear of betraying the terror she felt. Murderous flames had ignited in those brilliant eyes, daring her to make a single mistake, as he returned to his son who was now curled on the floor, panting in agony. Wordlessly, she removed the scroll from her pocket and sent it sailing over the table to Lucius. Still holding his only child in his arms, he deftly snatched it from the air, popped the seal with dexterous fingers, and shook it open. _Nimble hands, _she admitted with an inward smile._ You would've been good in bed, wouldn't you_? 

"What the hell is this?" he spat.

"Exactly what it looks like," she answered. "A contract, an insurance policy, if you will. Essentially, it renders you and your associates incapable of harming me, directly or indirectly, on pain of death, your death, specifically. Sign it, Lucius, and your son lives to see tomorrow." Her voice shook despite her firm will to keep it steady.

Malfoy's eyes narrowed in distrust. "You're bluffing."

Draco chose that moment to surge violently from his father's grasp, doubling over from the pain as the potion entered it's second stage, his face paling even further as he began sobbing into the ornate rug. Alex looked away for a moment, steeling her resolve.

"One way to find out, and we don't have long to wait," she responded as calmly as she could manage. "I'm no great hand at potions, Lucius. I have trouble adjusting ingredients according to the size of the subject, so I brewed that for a grown man; you, specifically. It's designed to cause death within a few minutes, but your son is much smaller than you are. He doesn't have that long." 

She would not have thought that it was possible for him to look more furious. She was most certainly wrong. Murderous eyes turned feral, almost devoid of reason, filled only with a bloodlust that sent a thrill of terror down her spine. Turning her lead foot to the door, she prepared to run. This wasn't going to work. Any second now he was going to clear the table. She would never even have a chance to take the poison Severus has so kindly given her. 

Steadying her nerve, she tried one last time. As she spoke, she willed her face into the cold mask that she seen Severus wear so many times. "If you think for an instant that I won't sacrifice the son of a monster for my own welfare, you're a poor judge of my character. You know I've killed before. I won't hesitate to do so again." 

For a moment, Alex saw stubborn arrogance flare in his eyes, but it vanished in an instant when Draco cried out for him. The pain was getting intense, now, she knew; similar to a mild form of the cruciatus curse his father had used on her, and her tolerance for torturing an innocent child was rapidly waning. _Come on, Lucius. Please_! Finally, he rose from his son's side, contract in hand. Slamming it on the table with a snarl of rage and a stream of violent expletives, he produced a quill out of thin air and signed with a vengeance, snapping the quill on the last stroke. 

It was done.

Alex nearly went limp with relief. The parchment was indestructible and the contract permanently binding. She'd used up all three favors owed her by an old and powerful acquaintance back home in the writing of that scroll. It was flawless. For Alex, the nightmare was over at last. Wanting nothing more than to rest, she collapsed into the nearest chair and tossed the antidote into Malfoy's waiting hand, watching in admiration as he used his considerable strength to hold the boy still while forcing the potion into his mouth. 

With barely the strength to complete the task, she waved her wand as if it were a lead bar. "Accio, parchment," she whispered, picked it out of the air, deposited Malfoy's wand on the table, rose quietly, and casually strolled out of the dining room with a satisfied smile. There was nothing more to fear from Lucius Malfoy. 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Lucius heaved a great sigh of relief as his son's spasms lessened and the color began to return to his cheeks as the antidote worked within seconds to reverse the poison's effects. Leave it to Alexandria to uphold her end of the bargain. In the same situation, he would have given a fake antidote and allowed the lesson to sink in completely. As it was, her curious brand of honor had played into his favor. He let an uncharacteristic snort. At least something had. _Damn that woman and whatever nasty twist of fate that spawned her_. There was no way to play this to his own advantage. And, how was he going to explain this to Lord Voldemort? That contract was practically a death sentence! If he wasn't killed outright, then he would certainly be punished within an inch of his life. The thought froze his blood. He hadn't felt the wrath of the Dark Lord in a very long time. 

Time enough to worry about that later, he thought as his son began to stir restlessly in his arms. As he looked down, eyes slightly more blue than his own met his gaze. "Father?"

"Yes, Draco?"

"Who was that?" he asked, typical Malfoy fury rising in his eyes already.

"An ex-associate, it would seem." _Emphasis on the _'_ex._' "I assume she'll see herself out." Lucius took his son's chin into his hand, turning his face this way and that, examining skin and eyes for any traces of remaining contaminate, and sighed when he found none. Still, he was no expert. A mediwizard should examine him just to be certain. "Can you stand?"

"Yes, father." He did so tentatively, testing his balance while supporting his weight with one hand on the massive dining table. "I could use a restorative, though."

Lucius favored him with a rare, warm smile, the one he reserved solely for his son, and slid a vial from a deep pocket. "Drink it carefully, Draco. It's quite powerful."

"Thank you, Father."

"You should sit down. I'm going to see what's become of that worthless maid, then I'll summon a mediwizard. I want to be certain that the poison didn't leave a residue."

"Yes, father." 

Lucius, occupied with cautiously opening the kitchen door, failed to see his son drain the restorative in one greedy gulp. His eyes were searching, scanning for any evidence of the maid's whereabouts. Unfamiliar with the kitchen as he was, it took him a moment to see the room in detail. He cast about carefully. Appliances lined the left and front walls, sink on the right side, portable surface against the far wall. Ah. There. Almost hidden. The maid's foot. He was just stepping forward to examine it, hoping he wouldn't have the inconvenience of disposing of a corpse, when he heard the shout. Instantly, he swung around and ran for the room he had just left. 

Draco was gone.

So was his snake-headed wand. 

The hallway door was still swinging forward on well-oiled hinges. 

Vividly, he recalled the look of fury on his son's face even as the antidote took effect. In typical, vindictive, Malfoy fashion, Draco had listened and understood, even through the haze of pain, that he was in no way bound by the contract his father had signed. 

He had gone after his attacker.

More shouting from down the hall, wicked hexes from Draco, cries of fear from Alex, heavy crashes and banging as if the house was being torn apart by the two of them. Lucius burst through the door, adding his voice to the cacophonous choir. Proud as he was of his son's immediate pursuit of vengeance, he wasn't about to risk him again. There was no predicting what Alex would do if cornered. 

Cursing himself silently for not having apparation inhibitors which didn't include him, he sped through the back foyer past broken vases, over decorative tables, and through scattered rose petals following the raised voices, and finally rounding the corner on a priceless sight. Somehow, Alex had gotten turned around on her way out and had wound up in the library. Had he not been so concerned for his son's safety, he would have laughed aloud. 

There was Alex looking exceedingly panicked, hiding behind the overturned desk, shouting apologies, explanations, and streaming oaths at his son, intermittently throwing the items which had formerly occupied the desk, and dodging the vicious curses being thrown by Draco. Lucius allowed himself a swell of pride. The boy was all Malfoy, a deadly animal, more teeth than fur, more vengeance than honor, and as treacherous as his name suggested when incensed. _My little dragon_.

He was headed for his son, intent on dragging him from the room if he needed to when he saw the tiny pellets come raining down from behind the desk. Before he could reach his goal, the room was filled with a choking, burning fume. The sound of shattering glass followed shortly after, indicating that Alex had left courtesy of the window.

Thinking the ordeal to be over, he turned to collect Draco and just noticed the flitting silhouette which represented his son darting through the smoke and out the new exit, single-minded in his purpose. "Draco, get back here!" he shouted impotently. He knew what the boy was feeling, right now, the mindless rage that had driven him to attack, and the blood pounding in his ears likely drowned out every other sound. He'd have to get him back by force.

Alex would head directly for the front gate. Whomever had given her directions into the manor would also have informed her that the only apparation point within a circular mile was just beyond it. Luckily, she was going the long way. He could cut them off from the side entrance. Pounding through the manor at top speed, he reached his goal in under a minute, bursting through the door into the evening shadows just in time to see his son race past in pursuit of a curiously silent shadow. 

Not even bothering to call out, he sped after him, hating to acknowledge how easily his son was outstripping him. He was younger and therefore faster, that he could excuse; but Alexandria was pulling ahead of both of them, rapid pace winning out over his son's long stride. As she approached the gate, she pulled something from her back pocket and brought it rapidly to bear. It didn't matter, unless she had a broom in those pockets, she'd never make it over the spikes. 

With a cry that could have been one of her famous expletives (it was hard to tell) Alex leaped not at the gate, but the wall, scaling it as though she were some human-sized lizard. Draco had halted in his tracks and was taking aim with his father's wand. 

"Petrificus Totalus!" he screamed. 

It missed her by a mere heartbeat, reaching the place where her leg had been only an instant before and shattering the brick with the force of the spell. Draco released an uncharacteristic oath and threw his father's wand to the ground in disgust as the crack of an apparation spell split the air. 

Lucius could only smile. _My little dragon_, he thought again.


	23. Chapter Twentytwo The End

Chapter Twenty-two

Three days later, Alex was leaning on the counter of Borgin's Curiosities, merrily registering the last sale of the most successful day she'd seen yet when a shadow fell across the log book. Her eyes never left her work as she spoke a cheerful greeting.

"Hello, Lucius."

Unnerving silence was the only response she received, and yielding to his unspoken request, she redirected her gaze into the face of a changed man. It was Lucius, certainly; same mouth, same hair, same perfect skin, but the face was a bit too gaunt and his eyes, haunted, the eyes of a man who had been through hell and lived to speak of it. According to Severus, this wasn't far removed from the truth. Alex shuddered at the grim picture Snape had drawn in her mind, recounting the punishment to which Lucius had been subjected for his perceived failure at recruiting her. As the contract she'd forced him to sign had required the cooperation of Voldemort and all of his Death Eaters on pain of their most cherished member's death, each of them had been permitted to discipline him in turn. She could not suppress the swell of pity when she imagined the unmerciful agony that he had suffered because of her. 

Over and over, she had reminded herself that he had forced her hand; but then someone had forced his, that malevolent entity called Lord Voldemort. Lucius was, in her opinion, a slave to his will, a prisoner. What was it Severus had said? 'An unwilling warrior.' 

There was no removing the picture of his punishment from her mind any more than she could forget the extreme relief she'd seen in his eyes when he finally acquired the means to save his son and the gentle strength with which he administered the antidote. What kind of man could he have been if Voldemort had not twisted him? 

When at last Lucius spoke, his voice was soft, almost gentle. 

"My mediwizards examined my son shortly after your dramatic departure. It seems that I erred in my judgment. You _were_ bluffing."

Alex saw no reason to hide the truth, now. She welcomed his knowledge of it, actually. It only strengthened her point. "Of course I was." She closed the log book softly and folded her hands on the counter before her. "The potion wasn't deadly, just really painful. And, I hated having to go _that_ far." She gave him a stern look. "Unlike you, I'm not ruthless."

His response was matter-of-fact, unheated. "That is a regretful weakness. Nonetheless, you harmed my son. It won't take long, Miss Borgin, for me to find a way to break these bonds, and when I do---"

"I know," she interrupted. "I know you will, Lucius."

"Then know as well that you will come to know anguish as a close, personal friend."

"I know," she repeated softly. "And, I live in absolute dread of that day." 

"Then, why do you remain?" he asked, genuinely curious.

She sighed deeply. "Because this is my home, the first one I've ever had. This is my store. These are my friends, and I can't let you take that from me. I _refuse to_ run from you."

With the ghost of a smile and a shake of his fair head, he changed the subject. "I've been sent here to deliver a message."

"And, what message would that be?"

"The Dark Lord is willing to forgive your impudence. As ever, he respects your instinct for self-preservation. If you change your mind, he will still have you."

"Oh, I'm honored," Alex answered with the tiniest hint of sarcasm. "Regrettably, I---"

He held up his hand, such a simple, commanding gesture, and she quieted. He smirked at her compliance. "He rarely gives second chances, Alexandria, and never allows a third. Don't answer just yet. You've no idea how complicated things are about to become. Save your answer for later, when you've learned more of both sides, when you have discovered what this war is really about. Because you _will_ have to choose a side eventually, Miss Borgin. You can't hide in here and expect the conflict to simply pass you by."

Alex lowered her eyes to the counter. He was right, of course, though she wasn't about to admit it. She hesitated a moment before asking, "Would you like to come upstairs and talk?"

He raised a noble eyebrow. "You want to talk?" he asked incredulously.

"Yes. You know, like civilized people?" She smiled warmly. "Come on, Lucius. I have a bottle of red wine I was saving for a special occasion. We can open it together and talk about Voldemort." Lucius winced slightly and swept the empty shop with nervous eyes. "Maybe you can help me understand why you chose to be on his side, and why you think I should do the same."

"Madam Borgin," he began softly, fixing her with a menacing glare. "The fact that I am incapable of tearing your lovely head from your shoulders does not preclude the desire to do so. I do not wish to spend a lengthy amount of time in your company, suffering from an itch that I cannot scratch." He leaned in a bit closer, fixing her with a look a pure malice. "At least, not yet."

Alex met his gaze unflinchingly. "I never wanted to be your enemy, Lucius. I still don't. All I ask is a better understanding of you." 

"You haven't the capacity to understand a man like me, Miss Borgin."

A familiar voice answered casually. "That's very true, old friend. She does not." 

Severus Snape, right on time for her tutorial. Lucius nodded coldly in greeting. "I'll take my leave, Miss Borgin." He brushed past Severus, purposely shunting him to the side with the movement. "Good day, Severus." 

He hadn't yet past the window before Alex lost all restraint and threw herself into the potion master's arms. "Oh, Severus, your timing is impeccable!"

Roughly, he shoved her away, glancing out the window to ensure that his associate had indeed left. "Miss Borgin, please! Our relationship is not common knowledge."

"What are you babbling about? Our relationship was your master's idea!" _What a lucky break for me_, she thought.

"I was ordered to train you to fight, then coerce you into joining us. I am expected to do much more than simply bed you at every opportunity."

Alex rolled her eyes at his practicality. "But we haven't had the opportunity in so long," she whined.

Severus answered her with a scowl, still watching the window like a hawk. "It's been slightly more than a week." 

"Far too long!" Alex pounced him again, kissing him fiercely, and despite his objections, he couldn't help but respond in kind, backing her into the counter and pinning her there mercilessly. Tongues danced, hands explored freely and Severus Snape fought the temptation to take her on the stone floor with the sunny window offering a view for anyone who cared to see. She was right. It had been far too long.

Panting and slightly disheveled, he finally broke away long enough to give an abrupt and breathless order. "Upstairs."

She didn't need encouragement, taking the steps two at time with the potions master close at her heels. Still, they barely made it to the bed, clinging together in a knot of rapidly unveiled flesh, furiously flinging away clothing as they moved. A mere week had been enough to allow Alex to forget the intensity of which the potion's master was capable. She reveled in it now, felt every sharp pain, every tender caress over bruised flesh as if it were the first. Merlin, but he was a perfect lover!

When it was over, and they lay together in silence, having finally caught their breath, Alex ran her fingers through his tousled hair affectionately, a gentle smile on her lips. How many people were allowed to see him this way, totally at ease, open, almost smiling? Not many, she imagined. How lucky it was that she had found him, the traitorous 'friend' of her enemy, her lover, her teacher--- if they ever got around to the lessons. Maybe today they'd have some time.

"What are you thinking about?" He asked in that silky baritone.

"You," she answered with a fond look.

"And, what are you thinking about me?"

"I'm thinking that you're handsome," she kissed him sweetly on the forehead, "and smart," this time the tip of his nose received a quick kiss, "and a little scary," her lips met his own with a gentleness she rarely displayed.

Snape's mouth turned crooked in that quirky smile of his, so rarely seen by others. "I'm scary?"

"Yes, you are."

"You haven't even seen me duel."

"Soon, I hope. I could really use the lessons."

"It wasn't _my_ idea to leap directly into your bed, Madam," he answered in mock defensiveness. 

She snuggled a bit closer, basking in his warmth. "You didn't put up much of a fight."

"Indeed." A single eyebrow lifted. "You are a persuasive woman."

"Indeed," she mocked.

His face resumed it's customary seriousness. "Are you really afraid of me?"

"A little, yeah," she answered honestly.

"Why?" he questioned softly. "You know my motivations. You know that I will not harm you, indeed your contract ensures that I cannot."

"Not physically, maybe, but you're still more capable of hurting me than anyone I know."

"How so?"

She took a deep breath, readying herself for the plunge. "I'm afraid I've grown--- fond of you, Professor."

Snape's eyes snapped open. "We agreed---"

"That we wouldn't look beyond the physical, I know." Alex stroked his face lovingly. "My head is well-aware. My heart's having a little trouble with it."

"Alex, involving your heart in anything we do is unwise. I've explained this to you."

"Then, you feel nothing for me?"

Severus shifted uncomfortably, propping himself up with a pale hand tangled in black hair. "Alex, I cannot afford to feel anything for you," he stated, not gently, but with less acidity than usual. "I am charged with the task Lucius could not accomplish, bending you to the Dark Lord's will. He expects results, and he expects them quickly. He wants you in his service or he wants you dead, now more than ever. My position is precarious at best. I can buy myself some time with reports of my progress, but he will want a decision, soon. Each day that you delay makes my position that much more tenuous. Do you not realize that he would use your 'fondness' for me against you? Do you think he would hesitate a moment to torture me in order to force your hand?"

Alex sighed in exasperation. Honestly, the thought had never occurred to her. "Doesn't this guy ever give up? I am not choosing a side in a war that has nothing to do with me!"

"Is that what this is all about? Is it not personal enough for you that you've been tortured, manipulated, almost killed, forced to torment the child of an enemy? Your own lover has been charged with the task of corrupting you, Alex. Is that not personal?"

"I hate arguing with you, Professor. You have the annoying habit of making really good points. What do you think I should do?"

Severus blinked a few times, slowly. She had the most exasperating gift for doing the unexpected. How was he supposed to advise her? Shouldn't she be going to Dumbledore or Nina for that? He sighed. "Alex, I'm in no position to tell you what you should do. There's too much at stake for me. My opinion is biased in the extreme."

"Let me guess, then. You think I should join the Death Eaters to get Voldemort off your back and act as a spy, or maybe a virus, corrupting them from the inside, causing dissention in the ranks. Is that it?"

"You're over-simplifying a complicated situation, Alex."

She lay back on the bed, keeping one hand splayed on Snape's stomach, needing the comfort of a simple touch, and staring at the ceiling in contemplation. "You have some time before I need to make a call, and they have no way of hurting me until I do."

"Draco Malfoy _can_ harm you, and he is furious." 

Alex snorted. "He's just a kid, Severus. Besides, he knows that I didn't really poison him."

"And, you think that this matters to him? Where you view that as a sign of good intention, he views it as a sign of weakness. You humiliated him and his father, and noble families are notoriously proud. You've made a dangerous enemy in that young man."

"I'm not shaking in my boots over some pampered son of a wealthy noble."

"That is faulty judgment on your part. Draco is almost a full-grown wizard, and he was raised to be a killer. You confessed that he nearly defeated you at the manor." 

Alex rolled her eyes. "I told you that he caught me off guard, that's all."

Severus shifted the subject, feeling that this was setting his temper on edge. "The Dark Lord does not need to be a threat to you to persuade you to do his will. He has other methods at his disposal." He quieted for a moment considering the option that he knew his 'master' to be considering even now. If he ever discovered that Alex had grown 'fond' of Snape, he would use the knowledge to his full advantage, and was probably just waiting for Severus to get little closer before he did so. Voldemort was notorious for forcing compliance through the torture of loved ones. _And if he ever discovered that I care for her, as well_--- He shuddered at the thought. No. He would keep that locked away in a mental vault that Voldemort could never reach. 

That thought was deadly.

"We should get to our lessons sometime today, Alex, if you are truly serious about learning to use your new wand like a real witch."

Alex rolled over to face him with a rare glint of anger in her eyes. Learning to do that would aid her tremendously in holding her position of neutrality in the coming war. "For one of the few times in my life, Severus, I'm _dead_ serious. Let's get to work."

And, they did. 

- THE END -

****

I have a sequel for this story writing itself relentlessly in my head. Should I write it down and post it or would that be overkill? Feedback, please.

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Mage Kitty: Thank you for reading. I'm glad you enjoyed it. Beloved Slytherins, indeed.

PPP(): It's OK to cheer for Draco. I did. About your review for 21, I have now placed the Alien movies on my 'Need to See' list. Thank you for reading.

Fleur K: I'm glad that you enjoyed the last-minute twist. Snape does indeed care, in his own stressed-out way. Thank you for reading.

Kitora Crysta: Delicious, huh? You're such a sweetie! Thank you for reading.

Lady Jenilyn: Thank you for reading. I'm warmed to know that you enjoyed it.

Rycca: Draco is a fairly scary guy when he wants to be. If I decide to post the sequel, there will be much more of Draco and Lucius in it. And, yes. Alex is the queen of the pickle. Thank you so much for reading.

Intel Ewok: I will probably delve into the 'friendship' between Severus and Lucius much further if I post the sequel, so maybe I can explore that more deeply. Thank you for reading.

Siverfey: I'm glad that you enjoy reading Alex in action. I had butterflies the whole time I was writing it. Draco is complicated. I adore him. I despise him. I think of him as a little brother I'd love to take under my wing. He has so much potential! Thanks for reading.

Thank you all so much for reading and reviewing. This experience has meant more to me than I can express to you. 


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